Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

कर्तुमिच्छाम्यहं सम्यक्तीर्थयानं चतुर्मुख । आगच्छन्तु मया सार्द्धं ये यूयमिह संगताः

Transliteration

kartumicchāmyahaṃ samyaktīrthayānaṃ caturmukha | āgacchantu mayā sārddhaṃ ye yūyamiha saṃgatāḥ

Translation

ഹേ ചതുര്മുഖാ! ഞാൻ യഥാവിധി തീർത്ഥയാത്ര ചെയ്യാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു. ഇവിടെ സമാഗതരായ നിങ്ങളെല്ലാവരും എന്റെ കൂടെ വരിക.

Word by Word

• कर्तुम्: to do, to perform
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तुम् (तुमुन्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), अव्ययभाव; क्रियार्थक

• इच्छामि: I wish
• इच्छामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तीर्थयानम्: a pilgrimage (tīrtha-journey)
• तीर्थयानम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तीर्थ-यानम् = ‘pilgrimage/journey to tīrthas’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• चतुर्मुख: O four-faced one (Brahmā)
• चतुर्मुख: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (चतुर्मुखः = ‘four-faced’, epithet of Brahmā); पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• आगच्छन्तु: let (them) come
• आगच्छन्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• मया: with me
• मया: Sahakari (Companion-instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• सार्द्धम्: together with
• सार्द्धम्: Sambandha (Association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्द्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (with/together)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• यूयम्: you (all)
• यूयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

• संगताः: assembled, gathered
• संगताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-गम् (धातु) → संगत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘यूयम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa (as the forthcoming starting point)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva addresses Brahmā with resolve, gesturing forward as if indicating a journey; devas gather with travel readiness—water pots, garlands, and banners—suggesting a sacred procession.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Brahmā (Caturmukha)
• Tīrtha-yātrā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage (tīrtha-yātrā) is presented as a dharmic means of purification and renewal, undertaken with proper intent (samyak).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces tīrtha-yātrā in general; specific tīrthas are named in the subsequent verses.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Undertaking a proper tīrtha-yātrā is the implied prescription.