Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

एवं मेध्यतमां कृत्वा संस्नाप्य सलिलैः शुभैः । ज्येष्ठकुण्डस्य विप्रेन्द्राः परिधाय्य सुवाससी

Transliteration

evaṃ medhyatamāṃ kṛtvā saṃsnāpya salilaiḥ śubhaiḥ | jyeṣṭhakuṇḍasya viprendrāḥ paridhāyya suvāsasī

Translation

Ainsi, l’ayant rendue très pure et digne des rites sacrés, et l’ayant baignée d’eaux de bon augure, ô le meilleur des brāhmaṇas, au Jyeṣṭha-kuṇḍa ils la revêtirent de vêtements exquis.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb: “thus/in this way”)

• मेध्यतमाम्: most pure
• मेध्यतमाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तमप्-प्रत्यय (superlative: “most pure”); विशेषण (object implied: ‘ताम्’)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive): “having made/done”

• संस्नाप्य: having bathed (her)
• संस्नाप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्ना (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रेरणार्थक-क्त्वा/ल्यप्-रूप (gerund in -य: “having bathed/washed (someone)”)

• सलिलैः: with waters
• सलिलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• शुभैः: auspicious/pure
• शुभैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifies ‘सलिलैः’)

• ज्येष्ठकुण्डस्य: of the Jyeṣṭha-kuṇḍa (foremost pond)
• ज्येष्ठकुण्डस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (“the elder/foremost pond”)

• विप्रेन्द्राः: O best of brahmins / foremost brahmins
• विप्रेन्द्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (“brahmins who are lords/foremost”)

• परिधाय्य: having put on
• परिधाय्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा/ल्यप्-रूप (gerund in -य्य: “having put on/worn”)

• सुवाससी: two fine garments
• सुवाससी: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन (Dual); उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयार्थ (“good garments”); ‘वाससी’ = two garments/clothes

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jyeṣṭha-kuṇḍa

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: viprendrāḥ (addressed: ‘O best of brāhmaṇas’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At a sacred pond named Jyeṣṭha-kuṇḍa, the maiden is bathed with auspicious water and then dressed in fine clean garments; the scene shifts from turmoil to ritual calm.

Characters & Entities

• Jyeṣṭha-kuṇḍa
• Śakra (Indra)
• Viprendra (brāhmaṇas)
• Śubha-salila (auspicious waters)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha’s waters are portrayed as transformative—purifying and making one fit for higher sacred action, reflecting the Mahātmya theme of place-based sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Jyeṣṭha-kuṇḍa is explicitly mentioned as the sacred water-site used for purification and bathing.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Purification by bathing with auspicious water at Jyeṣṭha-kuṇḍa and then wearing clean/fine garments—standard preparatory steps for sacred rites.