Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

भरद्वाजेन मुनिना कोटितीर्थे सरोवरे । तपश्चीर्णं महाबाहो यज्ञाश्च विहिताः किल

Transliteration

bharadvājena muninā koṭitīrthe sarovare | tapaścīrṇaṃ mahābāho yajñāśca vihitāḥ kila

Translation

Ô toi aux bras puissants, au lac de Koṭitīrtha le sage Bharadvāja pratiqua réellement l’austérité; et des sacrifices (yajña) y furent aussi accomplis, dit-on.

Word by Word

• भरद्वाजेन: by Bharadvāja
• भरद्वाजेन: Karana/Agent-instrument (कर्ता-निर्देशः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरद्वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• मुनिना: by the sage
• मुनिना: Karana/Agent-instrument (कर्ता-निर्देशः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कोटितीर्थे: at Koṭitīrtha
• कोटितीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटितीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कोटि-तीर्थम् (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष; ‘crore of tīrthas’ as a name)

• सरोवरे: in the lake
• सरोवरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरोवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तपः: austerity/penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र कर्मरूपेण (object)

• चीर्णम्: was performed
• चीर्णम्: Kriya (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु) → चीर्ण (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अर्थः—‘performed’

• महाबाहो: O mighty-armed one
• महाबाहो: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—महान्तौ बाहू यस्य सः (बहुव्रीहि)

• यज्ञाः: sacrifices
• यज्ञाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• विहिताः: were performed/ordained
• विहिताः: Kriya (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु) → विहित (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अर्थः—‘were ordained/performed’

• किल: indeed/it is said
• किल: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (reportive/indeed)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced); vocative 'mahābāho' suggests an embedded address to a heroic listener (likely Arjuna/Pārtha in the source narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Koṭitīrtha

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sage Bharadvāja in deep tapas near a serene lake named Koṭitīrtha; nearby a yajña-śālā with sacred fire, priests chanting, and offerings rising as smoke into the sky.

Characters & Entities

• Bharadvāja
• Koṭitīrtha
• Sarovara
• Tapas
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The authority of a tīrtha is reinforced by the lived practice of great ṛṣis—tapas and yajña—making the site a vessel of accumulated sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Koṭitīrtha, specifically its sarovara (sacred lake) associated with Bharadvāja.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) and yajña (sacrificial rites) as exemplary observances carried out at Koṭitīrtha.