Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

तस्या निर्वेशमन्विच्छन्राजा निर्विण्णमानसः । नानाक्षेत्राणि तीर्थानि चचार बहुवत्सरम्

Transliteration

tasyā nirveśamanvicchanrājā nirviṇṇamānasaḥ | nānākṣetrāṇi tīrthāni cacāra bahuvatsaram

Translation

Cherchant un lieu de délivrance de sa poursuite, le roi, l’esprit accablé de repentir, parcourut durant de longues années maintes terres sacrées et tīrthas de pèlerinage.

Word by Word

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• निर्वेशम्: abode/resting place
• निर्वेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘resting-place/abode/settlement’

• अन्विच्छन्: seeking
• अन्विच्छन्: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + √इष्/√इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘seeking’

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• निर्विण्णमानसः: with a despondent mind
• निर्विण्णमानसः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विण्ण (कृदन्त; नि + √विद्/√विन्द्/√विण्ण?—प्रचलित ‘निर्विण्ण’ = weary/disgusted) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) + तत्पुरुष; राज्ञः विशेषणम्—‘whose mind is dejected’

• नाना: various
• नाना: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/विशेषणप्राय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषणार्थे ‘various’

• क्षेत्राणि: sacred places/regions
• क्षेत्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• तीर्थानि: pilgrimage fords/shrines
• तीर्थानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; क्षेत्राणि इत्यस्य समुच्चय (co-object)

• चचार: wandered/visited
• चचार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• बहुवत्सरम्: for many years
• बहुवत्सरम्: Adhikarana (Temporal extent/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd) एकवचन; कालावधि-अर्थे (accusative of duration)

Speaker

Narrator (context not explicit in excerpt; likely Purāṇic narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: tirtha (general)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, gaunt and penitent, moves through a montage of sacred landscapes—rivers, ghats, forests, temples—while the shadow of Brahmahatyā trails at a distance; years pass, shown by changing seasons.

Characters & Entities

• kṣetra (sacred region)
• tīrtha (pilgrimage ford)
• brahmahatyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage and sustained repentance are portrayed as dharmic means to seek purification when grave karmas pursue the soul.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse speaks generally of ‘many kṣetras and tīrthas’ without naming a single site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage) is implied as a long-term purificatory discipline, though no specific bath, vow, or donation is detailed here.