Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

तावन्मात्रप्रभावाणि तत्स्थानि प्रभवंति किम् । तानि तीर्थानि नो ब्रूहि विस्तरेण महामते

Transliteration

tāvanmātraprabhāvāṇi tatsthāni prabhavaṃti kim | tāni tīrthāni no brūhi vistareṇa mahāmate

Translation

Quelle est l’étendue et la nature de la puissance de ces lieux sacrés établis là ? Ô grand d’esprit, dis-le-nous : décris en détail ces tīrtha saints.

Word by Word

• तावत्: so much, of that extent
• तावत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मात्र: mere, only
• मात्र: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावार्थे/परिमाणवाचक-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (agreement with प्रभावाणि)

• प्रभावाणि: powers, efficacies
• प्रभावाणि: Karta/Predicate (Subject or predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तत्स्थानि: situated there
• तत्स्थानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तस्मिन् स्थानीति)

• प्रभवन्ति: arise/occur
• प्रभवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तीर्थानि: pilgrimage places
• तीर्थानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• नः: to us
• नः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Gen./Dat. 6th/4th), बहुवचन; अत्र चतुर्थ्यर्थे (to us)

• ब्रूहि: tell
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• विस्तरेण: in detail
• विस्तरेण: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• महामते: O great-minded one
• महामते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/8th), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् मतिः यस्य)

Speaker

Sages/Listeners (addressing Sūta)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Internal tīrthas of Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (requested)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sūta

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages lean forward, palms joined or raised in inquiry, asking Sūta to describe the power and extent of the tīrthas in detail.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A sincere inquiry into tīrthas is itself dharmic; sacred places are approached through humility and attentive listening.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces the tīrthas of the Hāṭakeśvara-related sacred region that will be described in the surrounding passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; it is a request for detailed exposition of the tīrthas and their merits.