Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

न स्नायात्सर्वतीर्थेऽस्मिन्यावद्ब्राह्मणपुंगवाः । अनुष्ठितैर्महायागैस्तथा तीर्थनिषेवणैः

Transliteration

na snāyātsarvatīrthe'sminyāvadbrāhmaṇapuṃgavāḥ | anuṣṭhitairmahāyāgaistathā tīrthaniṣevaṇaiḥ

Translation

Ô le plus éminent des brāhmanes, qu’on ne se baigne pas en ce Sarvatīrtha avant d’avoir d’abord été formé par l’accomplissement juste des grands yajñas et par le service convenable des autres tīrthas sacrés.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negation)

• स्नायात्: should bathe
• स्नायात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सर्वतीर्थे: in the all-tīrtha
• सर्वतीर्थे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• यावत्: until; as long as
• यावत्: Kala/Avadhi (Time-limit/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/सम्बन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: अवधि-सम्बन्धक-अव्ययम् (correlative: 'as long as/until')

• ब्राह्मणपुंगवाः: foremost among Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणपुंगवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण + पुंगव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्राह्मणानां पुंगवाः)

• अनुष्ठितैः: by (rites) performed
• अनुष्ठितैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु + स्था (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; (instrumental: 'by/with performed')

• महायागैः: with great sacrifices
• महायागैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā + याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः

• तथा: and also; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (also; likewise)

• तीर्थनिषेवणैः: with the practice/attendance of tīrthas
• तीर्थनिषेवणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + निषेवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तीर्थस्य निषेवणम्)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarvatīrtha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇa-puṅgavāḥ (foremost brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher-like brāhmaṇa addresses disciples, pointing toward the distant shining Sarvatīrtha while showing symbols of yajña (altar, fire, ladles), indicating preparatory discipline before bathing.

Characters & Entities

• Sarvatīrtha
• Brāhmaṇapuṃgavāḥ
• Mahāyāga
• Tīrthaniṣevaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage power is paired with dharmic preparation—ritual discipline and reverent tīrtha-sevā refine the seeker.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Sarvatīrtha is highlighted as so potent that it is approached with preparatory observances.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A cautionary prescription: do not undertake Sarvatīrtha snāna without prior dharmic preparation—mahāyāgas and proper tīrtha-niṣevaṇa.