Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

वैवस्वत्यां तिथौ चैव प्राप्ता घर्मपीडिताः । कंचिज्जलाशयं प्राप्य प्रविष्टाः सलिलं शुभम्

Transliteration

vaivasvatyāṃ tithau caiva prāptā gharmapīḍitāḥ | kaṃcijjalāśayaṃ prāpya praviṣṭāḥ salilaṃ śubham

Translation

Et, lors de la tithi Vaivasvatī également, accablés par la chaleur brûlante, ils atteignirent un réservoir d’eau et entrèrent dans ses eaux de bon augure.

Word by Word

• वैवस्वत्याम्: on the Vaivasvatī tithi
• वैवस्वत्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैवस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Locative, Singular (tithi-name)

• तिथौ: on the lunar day
• तिथौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• प्राप्ताः: having reached/arrived
• प्राप्ताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्राप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Past participle, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• घर्मपीडिताः: tormented by heat
• घर्मपीडिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + पीडित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (घर्मेण पीडिताः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Determinative compound, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कंचित्: some (a certain)
• कंचित्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अनिश्चित/कश्चित्-प्रयोग, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (जलाशयम् इति सह) — Indefinite pronoun/adjective, Accusative, Singular

• जलाशयम्: water-reservoir/pond
• जलाशयम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + आशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (जलस्य आशयः) — Accusative, Singular; determinative compound

• प्राप्य: having reached
• प्राप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √प्राप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) — having reached

• प्रविष्टाः: entered
• प्रविष्टाः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√विश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Past participle, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सलिलम्: water
• सलिलम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शुभम्: auspicious/pure
• शुभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular (agreeing with ‘सलिलम्’)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Heat-stricken sages reach a pond/stepwell; they descend steps and immerse in clear water; steam-like heat haze dissipates; the scene shifts from harsh sunlight to cool tranquility.

Characters & Entities

• Vaivasvatī tithi
• Jalāśaya (sacred reservoir)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Entering a tīrtha’s waters with need and sincerity becomes a doorway to purification and transformation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ‘certain jalāśaya’ is the sacred water-body that will be identified as Rūpatīrtha through its miraculous effect.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna—ritual immersion in auspicious waters—is the central act.