Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

स्नातस्यापि यथा पुण्यं ललाटं नृपसत्तम । शुक्लतीर्थं तथा पुण्यं नर्मदायां युधिष्ठिर

Transliteration

snātasyāpi yathā puṇyaṃ lalāṭaṃ nṛpasattama | śuklatīrthaṃ tathā puṇyaṃ narmadāyāṃ yudhiṣṭhira

Translation

ഹേ നൃപസത്തമാ! സ്നാനം ചെയ്തവന്ക്കും ലലാടം (നെറ്റി) പ്രത്യേക പുണ്യമെന്നു കരുതുന്നതുപോലെ, ഹേ യുധിഷ്ഠിരാ! നർമദയിൽ ശുക്ലതീർത്ഥം അത്യന്തം പുണ്യമാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• स्नातस्य: of one who has bathed
• स्नातस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नात (कृदन्त; √स्ना (धातु))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), ‘स्नात’ = having bathed

• अपि: even; also
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि = also/even

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Connector (Upamā/यथा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमानवाचक (comparative)

• पुण्यम्: meritorious; sacred
• पुण्यम्: Predicate/Viśeṣaṇa (Predicative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषणम् (ललाटम्)

• ललाटम्: forehead
• ललाटम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललाट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• नृपसत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपसत्तम: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (नृपाणां सत्तमः)

• शुक्लतीर्थम्: Śukla-tīrtha (the sacred ford named Śukla)
• शुक्लतीर्थम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (शुक्लं तीर्थम्)

• तथा: so; likewise
• तथा: Connector (correlative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तद्वत्/एवम् (correlative to यथा)

• पुण्यम्: meritorious; sacred
• पुण्यम्: Predicate/Viśeṣaṇa (Predicative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषणम् (शुक्लतीर्थम्)

• नर्मदायाम्: in/on the Narmadā (river)
• नर्मदायाम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिर: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śukla-tīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A crowned Yudhiṣṭhira listens as a sage points toward a luminous riverbank labeled Śukla-tīrtha; a pilgrim applies tilaka on the forehead after bathing, visually linking 'lalāṭa' and tīrtha-prādhānya.

Characters & Entities

• Śuklatīrtha
• Narmadā
• Yudhiṣṭhira

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Among many sacred options, certain places are singled out as ‘foremost’ and thus especially recommended for merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śuklatīrtha, praised as particularly meritorious on the Narmadā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bathing (snāna) is referenced contextually; the verse ranks Śuklatīrtha as exceptionally merit-giving for pilgrims.