Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

अत एतानि वर्ज्यंते तीर्थानि कुरुनंदन । इति श्रुत्वा महाबाहुर्गमनाय मनो दधे

Transliteration

ata etāni varjyaṃte tīrthāni kurunaṃdana | iti śrutvā mahābāhurgamanāya mano dadhe

Translation

«C’est pourquoi ces tīrtha sont évités, ô joie des Kuru.» À ces mots, l’homme aux bras puissants prit en son cœur la résolution de s’y rendre.

Word by Word

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/सम्बन्धबोधक), अर्थे—‘अतः/तस्मात्’ (therefore)

• etāni: these
• etāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (these)

• varjyante: are avoided
• varjyante: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛj (वृज्/वर्ज्) (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (are avoided)

• tīrthāni: pilgrimage places
• tīrthāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (तीर्थ) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• kuru-nandana: O delight of the Kurus
• kuru-nandana: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuru (कुरु) + nandana (नन्दन) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कुरूणां नन्दनः)

• iti: thus
• iti: Vacana-sūcaka (Quotation marker/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक)

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त), ‘श्रुत्वा’ = having heard

• mahā-bāhuḥ: the mighty-armed one
• mahā-bāhuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (महा) + bāhu (बाहु) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् बाहुः यस्य)

• gamanāya: for departure
• gamanāya: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान-अर्थे चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gamana (गमन) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन (purpose: for going)

• manaḥ: mind
• manaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (मनस्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• dadhe: he set/placed
• dadhe: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhā (धा) (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘दधे’ = placed/settled (set his mind)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A band of ascetics gestures toward a dangerous river-tīrtha while a mighty-armed kṣatriya (Arjuna) stands poised, bow at his side, eyes fixed ahead—decision crystallizing at the edge of wilderness waters.

Characters & Entities

• Kurunandana (Arjuna/Phālguna)
• Five tīrthas
• Tāpasas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When guided by dharma, courage becomes a spiritual instrument—approaching sacred places despite fear can be an act of faith and duty.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The same five southern-ocean tīrthas, now framed as sites that test resolve.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The intention to proceed for tīrtha engagement (implied snāna) is stated; no additional rite is specified.