Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

शक्रतीर्थं कुशावर्तं हंसतीर्थं तथैव च । अम्बरीषस्य तीर्थं च महाकालेश्वरं तथा

Transliteration

śakratīrthaṃ kuśāvartaṃ haṃsatīrthaṃ tathaiva ca | ambarīṣasya tīrthaṃ ca mahākāleśvaraṃ tathā

Translation

(On y trouve) Śakratīrtha, Kuśāvarta et aussi Haṃsatīrtha; ainsi que le tīrtha du (roi) Ambarīṣa, et de même le sanctuaire de Mahākāleśvara.

Word by Word

• शक्रतीर्थम्: Śakra-tīrtha
• शक्रतीर्थम्: Karma/Visheya (Object or item listed/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; समासः—शक्रस्य तीर्थम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• कुशावर्तम्: Kuśāvarta (eddy/place named Kuśāvarta)
• कुशावर्तम्: Karma/Visheya (Object or item listed/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशावर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; समासः—कुश + आवर्त (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्राय)

• हंसतीर्थम्: Haṃsa-tīrtha
• हंसतीर्थम्: Karma/Visheya (Object or item listed/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; समासः—हंसस्य तीर्थम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Samuccaya/Prakara (Also/manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक (adverb: likewise)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अम्बरीषस्य: of Ambarīṣa
• अम्बरीषस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बरीष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• तीर्थम्: tīrtha, sacred place
• तीर्थम्: Karma/Visheya (Object or item listed/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• महाकालेश्वरम्: Mahākāleśvara
• महाकालेश्वरम्: Karma/Visheya (Object or item listed/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाल + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; समासः—महाकालस्य ईश्वरः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• तथा: also, likewise
• तथा: Samuccaya (Also/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (also)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Revā Khaṇḍa tīrtha-māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śakratīrtha; Kuśāvarta; Haṃsatīrtha; Ambarīṣa-tīrtha; Mahākāleśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi audience / tīrtha-yātrā seekers

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A garland-like procession of five stations: Indra’s tīrtha with vajra emblem; a whirlpool bend (Kuśāvarta); a serene ghat with swans (Haṃsatīrtha); a royal devotee (Ambarīṣa) offering; and a powerful Mahākāla liṅga shrine with time motifs (hourglass/serpent/kalacakra symbolism).

Characters & Entities

• Śakratīrtha
• Kuśāvarta
• Haṃsatīrtha
• Ambarīṣa
• Ambarīṣa Tīrtha
• Mahākāleśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa maps holiness through divine associations—Indra, saintly kings, and Śiva—showing multiple gateways to merit within one sacred landscape.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śakratīrtha, Kuśāvarta, Haṃsatīrtha, Ambarīṣa Tīrtha, and Mahākāleśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the verse lists prominent tīrthas and a major Śiva shrine.