Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

एतद्धि तीर्थत्रितयं सकलाज्ञाननाशनम् । अविद्यायां विनष्टायां तथा ज्ञानप्रदं नृणाम्

Transliteration

etaddhi tīrthatritayaṃ sakalājñānanāśanam | avidyāyāṃ vinaṣṭāyāṃ tathā jñānapradaṃ nṛṇām

Translation

En vérité, cette triade de tīrthas détruit toute ignorance ; lorsque l’avidyā est dissipée, elle accorde alors aux hommes la vraie connaissance.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), कारण/निश्चयार्थक

• तीर्थत्रितयम्: the triad of tīrthas
• तीर्थत्रितयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ-त्रितय (प्रातिपदिक; तीर्थ + त्रितय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सकलाज्ञाननाशनम्: destroyer of all ignorance
• सकलाज्ञाननाशनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल-अज्ञान-नाशन (प्रातिपदिक; सकल + अज्ञान + नाशन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• अविद्यायाम्: when/where ignorance
• अविद्यायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• विनष्टायाम्: is destroyed
• विनष्टायाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-नश् (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘having been destroyed’ (अविद्यायाः विशेषणम्)

• तथा: thus/also
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• ज्ञानप्रदम्: giver of knowledge
• ज्ञानप्रदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान-प्रद (प्रातिपदिक; ज्ञान + प्रद)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तीर्थत्रितयस्य)

• नृणाम्: of men
• नृणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tīrtha-tritaya (Yamunā–Gaṅgā–Gayā)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Assembly (dvijas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrim bathing; the water becomes luminous, washing away a dark veil labeled ‘avidyā’; a radiant lamp/lotus of ‘jñāna’ arises above the head; the three tīrthas appear as three streams converging into a single light.

Characters & Entities

• Yamunā
• Gaṅgā
• Gayā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is framed as a means of inner transformation: cleansing ignorance and awakening right knowledge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha-tritaya (Yamunā, Gaṅgā, Gayā) is praised for destroying avidyā and granting jñāna.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No single rite is named here; the verse supports the sādhanā of visiting and bathing at these tīrthas.