Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

चित्रसेन उवाच । कस्मिन्देशे च तत्तीर्थं सत्यं कथयत द्विजाः । येनाभिवाञ्छिता सिद्धिः सफला मे भविष्यति

Transliteration

citrasena uvāca | kasmindeśe ca tattīrthaṃ satyaṃ kathayata dvijāḥ | yenābhivāñchitā siddhiḥ saphalā me bhaviṣyati

Translation

チトラセーナは言った。「その聖なる渡り場（ティールタ）はいずれの地にあるのか。真実を語ってください、婆羅門たちよ。そうすれば、私の願い求める成就は実りあるものとなろう。」

Word by Word

• चित्रसेनः: Citrasena
• चित्रसेनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्रसेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• कस्मिन्: in which
• कस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• देशे: country/place
• देशे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier)

• तीर्थम्: holy ford/pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• सत्यम्: truly
• सत्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचनम् (adverbial accusative: 'truly')

• कथयत: tell (you all)
• कथयत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (brahmins)
• द्विजाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); संबोधनार्थे (addressed)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अभिवाञ्छिता: desired
• अभिवाञ्छिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-√वाञ्छ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• सिद्धिः: attainment/success
• सिद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सफला: fruitful
• सफला: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सफल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• मे: my/for me
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Citrasena

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king (Citrasena) respectfully questioning seated sages in a forest hermitage, hands folded, seeking the true location of a siddhi-giving tīrtha; the atmosphere is anticipatory and devotional.

Characters & Entities

• Citrasena
• Dvijas (ṛṣis/brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual success is sought through right guidance—asking the wise and following truthfully revealed tīrtha-instructions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces the inquiry; the tīrtha is specified in the sages’ reply (next verse).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The practical prescription is to seek the tīrtha’s location from qualified sages and undertake the journey accordingly.