Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 93

Devanagari script

देवतीर्थं हंसतीर्थ प्रभासं तीर्थमुत्तमम् । मूलस्थानं च कण्ठेशमट्टहासमतः परम्

Transliteration

devatīrthaṃ haṃsatīrtha prabhāsaṃ tīrthamuttamam | mūlasthānaṃ ca kaṇṭheśamaṭṭahāsamataḥ param

Translation

S’y trouvent Deva-tīrtha, Haṃsa-tīrtha et l’excellent Prabhāsa-tīrtha ; ainsi que le Mūlasthāna, Kaṇṭheśa, puis le lieu suprême nommé Aṭṭahāsa.

Word by Word

• देवतीर्थम्: the Deva-tirtha (holy ford of the gods)
• देवतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवतीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; देव + तीर्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां तीर्थम्)

• हंसतीर्थम्: Hamsa-tirtha
• हंसतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंसतीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; हंस + तीर्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (हंसस्य/हंसानां तीर्थम्)

• प्रभासम्: Prabhāsa (a sacred place)
• प्रभासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तीर्थम्: a sacred ford/place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent, best
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तीर्थम् इति)

• मूलस्थानम्: the original seat/place
• मूलस्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूलस्थान (प्रातिपदिक; मूल + स्थान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (मूलं स्थानम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction: 'and')

• कण्ठेशम्: Kaṇṭheśa (Lord of the throat; a Śiva-name)
• कण्ठेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठेश (प्रातिपदिक; कण्ठ + ईश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कण्ठस्य ईशः)

• अट्टहासम्: Aṭṭahāsa (loud laughter; a sacred spot/name)
• अट्टहासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अट्टहास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अतः: thereafter, then
• अतः: Adverbial (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमसूचक-अर्थे (thereafter/from here)

• परम्: further, next; supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अग्रे/श्रेष्ठे अर्थे)

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Deva-tīrtha; Haṃsa-tīrtha; Prabhāsa-tīrtha; Mūlasthāna; Kaṇṭheśa; Aṭṭahāsa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-sage points out successive riverbank shrines: Deva-tīrtha, Haṃsa-tīrtha, Prabhāsa-tīrtha, Mūlasthāna, Kaṇṭheśa, and the climactic Aṭṭahāsa—each marked by a liṅga or small shrine under trees, with the river glinting behind.

Characters & Entities

• Deva-tīrtha
• Haṃsa-tīrtha
• Prabhāsa-tīrtha
• Mūlasthāna
• Kaṇṭheśa
• Aṭṭahāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places are mapped as a ladder of sanctity; moving through them is a purāṇic model of inner purification through outer pilgrimage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Deva-tīrtha, Haṃsa-tīrtha, Prabhāsa-tīrtha, Mūlasthāna, Kaṇṭheśa, and Aṭṭahāsa are named.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is stated; tīrtha-visitation and customary worship are implied.