Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

अधुना श्रोतुमिच्छामस्तीर्थमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् । कानि तीर्थानि पुण्यानि भूतलेऽस्मिन्महामते

Transliteration

adhunā śrotumicchāmastīrthamāhātmyamuttamam | kāni tīrthāni puṇyāni bhūtale'sminmahāmate

Translation

À présent, nous désirons entendre la grandeur suprême des tīrtha. Ô sage, quels tīrtha sacrés sur cette terre sont particulièrement riches en mérite?

Word by Word

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (Infinitive), क्रियार्थक (purpose)

• इच्छामः: we desire
• इच्छामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन

• तीर्थमाहात्म्यम्: the greatness of the pilgrimage-place(s)
• तीर्थमाहात्म्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तीर्थस्य माहात्म्यम्)

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (माहात्म्यस्य)

• कानि: which (ones)
• कानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun)

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

• पुण्यानि: holy, meritorious
• पुण्यानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (तीर्थाणाम्)

• भूतले: on the earth
• भूतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

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

Speaker

Ṛṣis (Sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda tīrtha-cycle (to be detailed) / Prabhāsa-kṣetra frame

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vyāsa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages leaning forward in eager inquiry before Vyāsa; behind them a stylized map-like panorama of rivers, mountains, temples—hinting at forthcoming tīrtha enumeration.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis
• Tīrthas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Seeking knowledge of sacred geography is itself a dharmic impulse—pilgrimage and tīrtha-awareness are presented as pathways to puṇya.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is named yet; the verse introduces the forthcoming catalog of tīrthas in the Arbuda/Prabhāsa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An implicit prescription to listen (śravaṇa) attentively to tīrtha-māhātmya teachings.