Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

स्नातानां सर्पतीर्थे तु नराणां भुवि भारत । सर्पवृश्चिकजातिभ्यो न भयं विद्यते क्वचित्

Transliteration

snātānāṃ sarpatīrthe tu narāṇāṃ bhuvi bhārata | sarpavṛścikajātibhyo na bhayaṃ vidyate kvacit

Translation

Pour les hommes qui se sont baignés au Sarpa-tīrtha, ô Bhārata, nulle part sur la terre ne se trouve la moindre crainte des espèces de serpents et de scorpions.

Word by Word

• स्नातानाम्: of those who have bathed
• स्नातानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘स्नात’; षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; पुंलिङ्ग (नराणाम् इति सम्बन्धात्)

• सर्पतीर्थे: at the Serpent-tīrtha
• सर्पतीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्प + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्पस्य तीर्थम्)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (particle)

• नराणाम्: of men
• नराणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भारत: O Bhārata
• भारत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• सर्पवृश्चिकजातिभ्यः: from (the) kinds of snakes and scorpions
• सर्पवृश्चिकजातिभ्यः: Apadana (Source/Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्प + वृश्चिक + जाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सर्पाश्च वृश्चिकाश्च तेषां जातयः)

• न: not/no
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विद्यते: exists/is found
• विद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदी (विद्यते = ‘exists’)

• क्वचित्: anywhere/ever
• क्वचित्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (indefinite adverb: anywhere/ever)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarpa-tīrtha

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim emerges from the tīrtha waters radiant; nearby serpents and scorpions retreat harmlessly, their menace pacified; the landscape suggests a wild riverbank made safe by sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Sarpa-tīrtha
• Bhārata (address to Yudhiṣṭhira)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-snānā is portrayed as granting tangible protection, linking spiritual merit with worldly safety.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Sarpa-tīrtha, specifically for protection from serpents and scorpions.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (bathing) at Sarpa-tīrtha.