Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

तीर्थलक्षं विदुः पूर्वे कपिलायास्तु सङ्गमे । स्वर्गस्य नरकस्यापि लक्षणं मुनिभाषितम्

Transliteration

tīrthalakṣaṃ viduḥ pūrve kapilāyāstu saṅgame | svargasya narakasyāpi lakṣaṇaṃ munibhāṣitam

Translation

Les anciens connaissaient le signe distinctif d’un tīrtha à la confluence de la Kapilā; et les caractères du ciel —et aussi de l’enfer— ont été énoncés par les sages.

Word by Word

• तीर्थ-लक्षम्: the mark/definition of a tīrtha
• तीर्थ-लक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘तीर्थस्य लक्षम्/लक्षणम्’ (mark/definition of tīrtha)

• विदुः: they know
• विदुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘they know’

• पूर्वे: the ancients
• पूर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; नाम (the ancients/former ones)

• कपिलायाः: of Kapilā
• कपिलायाः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of Kapilā)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• सङ्गमे: at the confluence
• सङ्गमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (at the confluence)

• स्वर्गस्य: of heaven
• स्वर्गस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of heaven)

• नरकस्य: of hell
• नरकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of hell)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/सम्भावनार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• लक्षणम्: the characteristic
• लक्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; नाम (characteristic/mark)

• मुनि-भाषितम्: spoken by sages
• मुनि-भाषितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + भाषित (कृदन्त; √भाष्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘मुनिभिः भाषितम्’ (spoken by sages)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced for Āvantya/Revā narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapilā-saṅgama (tīrtha-lakṣaṇa teaching spot)

Type: sangam

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: munis (as the speaking authority referenced) and pilgrims (implied audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Kapilā-saṅgama, seated sages teach a circle of pilgrims; behind them the confluence glows; in the sky or as side-panels appear symbolic ‘svarga’ (light, ascent, devas) and ‘naraka’ (darkness, chains) as moral allegories rather than graphic torture.

Characters & Entities

• Kapilā-saṅgama
• Munis (sages)
• Svarga
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A true tīrtha is not only a location but a dharmic ‘crossing’—a place where right understanding and conduct lead toward higher states (svarga) and away from downfall (naraka).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kapilā confluence (Kapilā-saṅgama) is highlighted as a paradigmatic setting for understanding what makes a place a tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the verse signals doctrinal teaching about tīrtha, svarga, and naraka.