Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

सन्निधत्ते सदा विप्रा लोकानुग्रहकाम्यया । विद्यते पुण्यदा तत्र नाम्ना ह्यमृतवापिका

Transliteration

sannidhatte sadā viprā lokānugrahakāmyayā | vidyate puṇyadā tatra nāmnā hyamṛtavāpikā

Translation

Il y demeure toujours, ô brāhmaṇas, par le désir d’accorder sa grâce aux mondes. En ce même lieu se trouve un bassin sacré dispensateur de mérite, renommé sous le nom d’Amṛtavāpikā.

Word by Word

• सन्निधत्ते: is present/abides
• सन्निधत्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-नि-√धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• विप्राः: O Brahmins
• विप्राः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1), बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे प्रथमा (vocative sense)

• लोकानुग्रहकाम्यया: by (his) wish to benefit the world
• लोकानुग्रहकाम्यया: Hetu/Instrument (Cause/करण-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + काम्य (प्रातिपदिक; from √कम्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3), एकवचन; हेतौ/करणे (by/through the desire); समासः—तत्पुरुष (लोकानुग्रहस्य काम्या = desire for the welfare of the world)

• विद्यते: exists/is found
• विद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु; 'to be found')
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• पुण्यदा: bestowing merit
• पुण्यदा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक; from √दा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम् to अमृतवापिका; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पुण्यं ददाति)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Instrument/Specification (करण/विशेषण-प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3), एकवचन; करण/प्रकार (by name)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Discourse particle (Nipāta/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

• अमृतवापिका: the pond called “Amṛtavāpikā”
• अमृतवापिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक) + वापिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अमृतस्य वापिका)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Amṛtavāpikā

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: viprāḥ (brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma’s subtle, ever-present aura over a tranquil pond labeled Amṛtavāpikā; sages and pilgrims gather, the water gleams like nectar, lotuses bloom, and the atmosphere suggests timeless protection and grace.

Characters & Entities

• Amṛtavāpikā
• Rāma (implied by context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine presence in a sacred place is for the welfare of beings, and tīrthas like holy ponds become channels of puṇya.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Amṛtavāpikā, the ‘Nectar Pond,’ located at the Ekāntarāmanātha sacred area.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not yet a direct injunction; the verse identifies the puṇya-giving pond that will be approached for snāna.