Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

उज्जयिन्यां महाकाले वाराणस्यां त्रिपुष्करे । संनिहत्यां रविग्रस्ते माण्डव्याख्ये सनातनम्

Transliteration

ujjayinyāṃ mahākāle vārāṇasyāṃ tripuṣkare | saṃnihatyāṃ ravigraste māṇḍavyākhye sanātanam

Translation

À Ujjayinī, auprès de Mahākāla; à Vārāṇasī, auprès de Tripuṣkara; à Saṃnihatyā; à Ravigrasta; et dans l’éternel kṣetra nommé Māṇḍavya—ces puissances sacrées sont proclamées.

Word by Word

• उज्जयिन्याम्: in Ujjayinī
• उज्जयिन्याम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उज्जयिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• महाकाले: at Mahākāla (temple/linga)
• महाकाले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः—महान् कालः (कर्मधारय)

• वाराणस्याम्: in Vārāṇasī
• वाराणस्याम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• त्रिपुष्करे: at Tripuṣkara
• त्रिपुष्करे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिपुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः—त्रीणि पुष्कराणि यस्मिन्/त्रि+पुष्कर (द्विगु-समास, स्थाननाम)

• संनिहत्याम्: at Saṃnihatyā
• संनिहत्याम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संनिहति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक (place-name)

• रविग्रस्ते: at Ravigrasta (place so named)
• रविग्रस्ते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रविग्रस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः—रविणा ग्रस्तम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• माण्डव्याख्ये: at the place called Māṇḍavya
• माण्डव्याख्ये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माण्डव्याख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः—माण्डव्य इति आख्या यस्य (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/नामनिर्देश)

• सनातनम्: eternal
• सनातनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Māṇḍavya-kṣetra (Māṇḍaveśvara)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahārāja (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ‘map-like’ sacred montage: Mahākāla of Ujjain, Kashi ghats with Tripuṣkara, and other tīrthas as small vignettes orbiting a central Māṇḍavya-kṣetra emblem marked ‘sanātana’.

Characters & Entities

• Ujjayinī
• Mahākāla
• Vārāṇasī
• Tripuṣkara
• Saṃnihatyā
• Ravigrasta
• Māṇḍavya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa maps a network of sanctity across India, linking renowned kṣetras (Ujjain, Kāśī) with local tīrthas to guide pilgrimage and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Māṇḍavya (and by context Māṇḍaveśvara), set among celebrated sites like Ujjayinī-Mahākāla and Vārāṇasī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; the verse functions as a sacred-geography listing to elevate the Māṇḍavya/Māṇḍaveśvara region.