Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

पश्चिमोत्तरदिग्भागे देवस्य जलशायिनः । तीर्थमस्ति महापुण्यं विश्वामित्रजलावहम्

Transliteration

paścimottaradigbhāge devasya jalaśāyinaḥ | tīrthamasti mahāpuṇyaṃ viśvāmitrajalāvaham

Translation

Dans le quartier nord-ouest, auprès de la divinité nommée Jalaśāyin, se trouve un tīrtha d’un mérite suprême, appelé Viśvāmitra-jalāvaha.

Word by Word

• पश्चिम-उत्तर-दिक्-भागे: in the north-western quarter/region
• पश्चिम-उत्तर-दिक्-भागे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पश्चिमोत्तरायाः दिशः भागः); पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्; locative ‘in the north-western region’

• देवस्य: of the god
• देवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्; ‘of the god’

• जल-शायिनः: (of) the water-reclining (deity)
• जल-शायिनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + शायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (जले शायी); पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्; qualifies देवस्य (Viṣṇu as ‘reclining on water’)

• तीर्थम्: a sacred ford/pilgrimage spot
• तीर्थम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; subject of अस्ति

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: Kriya (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; ‘is/exists’

• महा-पुण्यम्: greatly meritorious
• महा-पुण्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; qualifies तीर्थम्

• विश्वामित्र-जल-आवहम्: bringing the waters of Viśvāmitra
• विश्वामित्र-जल-आवहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्वामित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + जल (प्रातिपदिक) + आवह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (विश्वामित्रस्य जलम् आवहति इति); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; qualifies तीर्थम्

Speaker

Tapasvī (resident ascetic guide, as quoted by Kārpaṭika)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśvāmitra-jalāvaha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Afflicted pilgrim-narrator

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred map-like tableau: in the northwest of a shrine precinct stands the Jalaśāyin deity near water; a marked ford/spring is labeled Viśvāmitra-jalāvaha, with rishi symbolism (staff, fire-altar) subtly present.

Characters & Entities

• Jalaśāyin (deity)
• Viśvāmitra-jalāvaha Tīrtha
• Viśvāmitra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred geography is purposeful: specific directions, deities, and water-sites are mapped as channels of merit (puṇya) and purification.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

Viśvāmitra-jalāvaha tīrtha, situated near the deity Jalaśāyin in the northwestern part of the region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse identifies the tīrtha and its setting; the bathing prescription is given in the following verses.