Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

तीर्थयात्राविधिं कर्तुं गृहात्प्रचलितो नृपः । वसिष्ठं स्वकुलाचार्यमिदमाह महीपते

Transliteration

tīrthayātrāvidhiṃ kartuṃ gṛhātpracalito nṛpaḥ | vasiṣṭhaṃ svakulācāryamidamāha mahīpate

Translation

Étant parti de sa demeure pour accomplir selon la règle le pèlerinage aux tīrtha, le roi adressa ces paroles à Vasiṣṭha, précepteur de sa lignée, ô souverain.

Word by Word

• तीर्थयात्राविधिम्: the procedure/rite of pilgrimage
• तीर्थयात्राविधिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कर्तुम्: to do, to perform
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (infinitive)

• गृहात्: from the house
• गृहात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रचलितः: having set out, departed
• प्रचलितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र√चल् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); ‘नृपः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वसिष्ठम्: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्वकुलाचार्यम्: (as) his own family preceptor
• स्वकुलाचार्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक) + आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); ‘वसिष्ठम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण-भावेन

• इदम्: this (speech/statement)
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह्/√ब्रू (धातु; ‘आह’ इति लिट्-रूपम्)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• महीपते: O lord of the earth (O king)
• महीपते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narrator (introducing dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king, having departed his palace, respectfully turns to Vasiṣṭha on the road; Vasiṣṭha stands calm with staff and matted hair, embodying the authority of tradition; attendants hold travel items and offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vasiṣṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is best practiced with guidance—pilgrimage should be undertaken according to vidhi under an ācārya’s instruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting remains Dharmāraṇya and its tīrtha context, though this verse focuses on pilgrimage procedure generally.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tīrtha-yātrā-vidhi—following the correct rules and method for pilgrimage.