Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

श्वभ्री तत्र महाराज जलमध्ये प्रदृश्यते । कथानिका पुराणोक्ता वानरी तीर्थसेवनात्

Transliteration

śvabhrī tatra mahārāja jalamadhye pradṛśyate | kathānikā purāṇoktā vānarī tīrthasevanāt

Translation

ഹേ മഹാരാജാ! അവിടെ ജലത്തിന്റെ മദ്ധ്യത്തിൽ ‘ശ്വഭ്രീ’ എന്ന പേരിലുള്ള ഒരു കുഴി/കുണ്ഡം കാണപ്പെടുന്നു. പുരാണത്തിൽ പറയുന്ന കഥ പ്രകാരം, ഒരു വാനരി തീർത്ഥസേവനത്തിലൂടെ ശുദ്ധി പ്രാപിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• श्वभ्री: a pit/cavity (śvabhrī)
• श्वभ्री: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वभ्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

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

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (singular); कर्मधारयः (महान् राजा)

• जलमध्ये: in the middle of the water
• जलमध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (here locative), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषः (जले मध्यः/मध्ये)

• प्रदृश्यते: is seen/appears
• प्रदृश्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); कर्मणि (passive)

• कथानिका: a short tale/anecdote
• कथानिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा + अनिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषः (कथारूपा अनिका)

• पुराणोक्ता: told in the Purāṇa
• पुराणोक्ता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुराण + उक्त (प्रातिपदिक; उक्त = कृदन्त from वच्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; तत्पुरुषः (पुराणे उक्ता) कथानिका-विशेषणम्

• वानरी: of a she-monkey/monkey-related
• वानरी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); विशेषणम् (monkey-related) कथानिका-विशेषणम्

• तीर्थसेवनात्: from serving the tīrtha
• तीर्थसेवनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + सेवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषः (तीर्थस्य सेवनम्)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (to the king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śvabhrī

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahārāja / king

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A distinct circular pool (Śvabhrī) in the midst of the river; a she-monkey reverently approaches/serves the tīrtha (offering leaves, circling, or drinking), while sages narrate the ancient tale to a king.

Characters & Entities

• Śvabhrī
• Tīrtha
• Vānarī (she-monkey)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even non-human beings are shown attaining benefit through tīrtha-sevā, emphasizing the universal reach of sacred-place merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śvabhrī, a named pool/pit within the Māṇḍavya-tīrtha sacred complex in Revā-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tīrtha-sevā—reverent resorting to and honoring the holy place (implied bathing/attendance).