Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

विशेषेण तु राजेन्द्र सावित्रीतीर्थमुत्तमम् । स्नात्वाचम्य विधानेन मनोवाक्कायकर्मभिः

Transliteration

viśeṣeṇa tu rājendra sāvitrītīrthamuttamam | snātvācamya vidhānena manovākkāyakarmabhiḥ

Translation

വിശേഷമായി, ഹേ രാജേന്ദ്രാ! പരമോത്തമമായ സാവിത്രീ തീർത്ഥത്തിൽ—അവിടെ സ്നാനം ചെയ്ത്, വിധിപ്രകാരം ആചമനം ചെയ്ത്, മനസ്-വാക്ക്-കായ കർമങ്ങളാൽ (സ്വയം) ശുദ്ധീകരിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• विशेषेण: especially; in particular
• विशेषेण: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभाव (instrumental used adverbially): क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तु: indeed; but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सावित्री-तीर्थम्: the Sāvitrī sacred ford/place
• सावित्री-तीर्थम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावित्री (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'सावित्र्याः तीर्थम्'

• उत्तमम्: excellent; best
• उत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/क्त्वान्त): 'having bathed'

• आचम्य: having performed ācamana
• आचम्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चम (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-समकक्ष)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/ल्यबन्त): 'having sipped (water) for purification'

• विधानेन: by the prescribed method
• विधानेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• मनः-वाक्-काय-कर्मभिः: with mind, speech, body, and deeds
• मनः-वाक्-काय-कर्मभिः: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वाच् (प्रातिपदिक) + काय (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative): 'मनसा वाचा कायेन कर्मभिः'—with mind, speech, body, and actions

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Revā Khaṇḍa narrative instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sāvitrī-tīrtha

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājendra (best of kings)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A kingly pilgrim and attendants approach Sāvitrī-tīrtha; devotees bathe, then perform ācāmana with cupped hands, embodying purity in thought, speech, and action; the water glows with sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Sāvitrī-tīrtha
• Rājendra
• Snāna
• Ācamana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha practice is not only external bathing; it requires inner purity through disciplined mind, speech, and action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Sāvitrī-tīrtha is praised as an excellent sacred bathing place within the Revā Khaṇḍa’s landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna at Sāvitrī-tīrtha followed by ācamana according to proper procedure, with tri-fold purification (mind/speech/body).