Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

महापातकयुक्तोऽपि स गच्छेत्परमां गतिम् । कार्त्तिक्यां कृत्तिकायोगे सरस्वत्यां निमज्जयेत्

Transliteration

mahāpātakayukto'pi sa gacchetparamāṃ gatim | kārttikyāṃ kṛttikāyoge sarasvatyāṃ nimajjayet

Translation

Même chargé de grands péchés, on peut atteindre l’état suprême, si, au mois de Kārttika, lors de l’auspicieuse conjonction de Kṛttikā, on s’immerge dans la Sarasvatī.

Word by Word

• महापातकयुक्तः: associated with great sins
• महापातकयुक्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महापातक + युक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘महापातकेन युक्तः’ इति तृतीया-तत्पुरुषसमासः

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अपि = even/also

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• गच्छेत्: should go/attain
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• परमाम्: supreme
• परमाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; गतिम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• गतिम्: state/goal
• गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• कार्त्तिक्याम्: in Kārttikī (time)
• कार्त्तिक्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्त्तिकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; (कार्त्तिकी-तिथौ/मासे)

• कृत्तिकायोगे: at the conjunction with Kṛttikā (nakṣatra)
• कृत्तिकायोगे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्तिका + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘कृत्तिकायाः योगः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासः

• सरस्वत्याम्: in the Sarasvatī (river)
• सरस्वत्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• निमज्जयेत्: should immerse (himself)
• निमज्जयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√मज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; सकर्मकः

Speaker

Sūta (deduced: tīrtha-māhātmya enumeration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarasvatī-tīrtha

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A penitent pilgrim immerses in Sarasvatī under a starry Kṛttikā sky; celestial beings witness as dark stains (sins) dissolve into luminous water.

Characters & Entities

• Kārttika (month)
• Kṛttikā (nakṣatra)
• Sarasvatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Time (Kārttika) and sacred place (Sarasvatī) together magnify purification, making even grave karmic burdens removable through sincere practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Sarasvatī river/tīrtha is praised, especially when approached in Kārttika at Kṛttikā-yoga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nimajjana—full immersion bath in Sarasvatī during Kārttika, specifically at Kṛttikā-yoga.