Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा पार्श्वे नारदीयानपृच्छत महामुनीन् । तीर्थानीमानि रम्याणि प्रभावाद्भुतवंति च

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā pārśve nāradīyānapṛcchata mahāmunīn | tīrthānīmāni ramyāṇi prabhāvādbhutavaṃti ca

Translation

Voyant tout près les grands sages semblables à Nārada, il les interrogea : «Ces tīrtha sont ravissants, et leur puissance est vraiment merveilleuse !»

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• पार्श्वे: near; at the side
• पार्श्वे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• नारदीयान्: Nārada’s (followers/disciples)
• नारदीयान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नारदीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; ‘नारदसम्बन्धिनः’

• अपृच्छत: asked
• अपृच्छत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महामुनीन्: great sages
• महामुनीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः—महा + मुनि (कर्मधारयः)

• तीर्थानि: tīrthas
• तीर्थानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• इमानि: these
• इमानि: Visheshana (Demonstrative/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• रम्याणि: beautiful; delightful
• रम्याणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• प्रभावात्: because of (their) power/effect
• प्रभावात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• अद्भुतवन्ति: wonderful; marvelous
• अद्भुतवन्ति: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुतवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; ‘अद्भुत-युक्तानि’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Five tīrthas (cluster)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A respectful pilgrim stands with folded hands before a circle of radiant sages resembling Nārada in demeanor; behind them, the five tīrthas glimmer, suggesting ‘prabhāva-adbhuta’.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāmunis
• Nārada (by epithet nāradīya)
• Five tīrthas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Purāṇic dharma, the greatness of a place is best understood through inquiry to realized sages and listening to māhātmya.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The verse praises the collective beauty and wondrous power of the five tīrthas being discussed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; it highlights the method of seeking knowledge—questioning the sages about tīrtha-prabhāva.