Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

तत्र ध्यात्वा समानीता पातालाज्जाह्नवी नदी । मर्त्यलोके समायातं यस्यास्तोयं सुनिर्मलम्

Transliteration

tatra dhyātvā samānītā pātālājjāhnavī nadī | martyaloke samāyātaṃ yasyāstoyaṃ sunirmalam

Translation

Là, par la méditation, la rivière Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā) fut amenée depuis Pātāla ; et dans le monde des mortels, son eau, d’une pureté parfaite, se manifesta.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक)

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Kriya-visheshana (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्यै (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (‘having meditated’)

• समानीता: was brought
• समानीता: Kriya (Predicate with nadī)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-नी (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि (‘brought’)

• पातालात्: from the netherworld
• पातालात्: Apadana (Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादानम्

• जाह्नवी: Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)
• जाह्नवी: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाह्नवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि

• नदी: the river
• नदी: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि (जाह्नवी-नदी)

• मर्त्यलोके: in the mortal world
• मर्त्यलोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य-लोक (प्रातिपदिक; मर्त्य + लोक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरणे

• समायातम्: arrived; come
• समायातम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तोयम्) ‘having come/arrived’

• यस्याः: of which (river)
• यस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative)

• तोयम्: water
• तोयम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्तृ/विषयपदम् (यस्याः)

• सुनिर्मलम्: very pure; spotless
• सुनिर्मलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक; सु + निर्मल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तोयम्)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A meditating ascetic sits beside the newly formed kuṇḍa; from the depths (Pātāla) a luminous stream rises like a silver-blue column and settles into the pond, becoming crystal-clear water in the mortal world.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)
• Pātāla
• Kuṇḍa/Tīrtha (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dhyāna aligned with dharma can draw divine grace into the human realm, making purity accessible for all.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha’s kuṇḍa is presented as Gaṅgā-connected, with Jāhnavī’s pure waters made present there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, bathing and ritual use of the tīrtha-water is supported by its Gaṅgā-like purity.