Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

तत्फलं लभते नूनं तत्र तीर्थेऽभिषेचनात् । तीर्थानां परमं तीर्थं निर्मितं शम्भुना पुरा

Transliteration

tatphalaṃ labhate nūnaṃ tatra tīrthe'bhiṣecanāt | tīrthānāṃ paramaṃ tīrthaṃ nirmitaṃ śambhunā purā

Translation

ആ തീർത്ഥത്തിൽ അഭിഷേകസ്നാനം ചെയ്താൽ അതേ ഫലം നിശ്ചയമായും ലഭിക്കുന്നു. തീർത്ഥങ്ങളിൽ പരമമായ ഈ തീർത്ഥം പൂർവ്വം ശംഭു (ശിവൻ) നിർമ്മിച്ചതാണ്.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्; निर्देशात्मक-विशेषणम् (demonstrative)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्

• लभते: obtains
• लभते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• नूनम्: surely
• नूनम्: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle of certainty)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (locative adverb)

• तीर्थे: at the sacred ford/place
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्

• अभिषेचनात्: from/through the act of consecration (bathing/ablution)
• अभिषेचनात्: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिषेचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (5th/Ablative), एकवचनम्; हेत्वर्थः (cause/source)

• तीर्थानाम्: of (all) sacred places
• तीर्थानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (6th/Genitive), बहुवचनम्

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom/Acc), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• तीर्थम्: sacred place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom/Acc), एकवचनम्

• निर्मितम्: made/created
• निर्मितम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + मि (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• शम्भुना: by Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुना: Kartr-karana (Agent in passive/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचनम्

• पुरा: formerly, long ago
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced for Āvantya Khaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Paramatīrtha on Revā (Śambhu-nirmita)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva (Śambhu) is envisioned establishing the tīrtha in ancient time—striking the earth or blessing the river-ford—while pilgrims perform abhiṣeka; a radiant inscription-like aura proclaims ‘tīrthānāṃ paramaṃ tīrtham’.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Tīrtha
• Abhiṣecana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-established sacred places carry exceptional efficacy; simple abhiṣeka at such a tīrtha can equal the loftiest religious merits.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A ‘parama tīrtha’ in Revākhaṇḍa, explicitly said to be established by Śambhu (Śiva).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tīrtha-abhiṣecana—performing consecratory bathing at that specific holy spot.