Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच । भीमेश्वरं ततो गच्छेत्सर्वपापक्षयंकरम् । सेवितं ऋषिसङ्घैश्च भीमव्रतधरैः शुभैः

Transliteration

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca | bhīmeśvaraṃ tato gacchetsarvapāpakṣayaṃkaram | sevitaṃ ṛṣisaṅghaiśca bhīmavratadharaiḥ śubhaiḥ

Translation

ശ്രീ മാർകണ്ഡേയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—അതിനുശേഷം സർവ്വപാപക്ഷയകരമായ ഭീമേശ്വര തീർത്ഥത്തിലേക്ക് പോകണം. അവിടെ ഋഷിസംഘങ്ങളും ശുഭമായ ഭീമവ്രതധാരികളും സേവിച്ച് ആരാധിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: the revered Mārkaṇḍeya
• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (honorific + name); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Speech/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भीमेश्वरम्: Bhīmeśvara (name of Śiva/temple)
• भीमेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (भीमस्य ईश्वरः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/काल-निर्देशक (then/from there)

• गच्छेत्: should go
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (Injunction/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; विध्यर्थ: ‘should go’

• सर्वपापक्षयंकरम्: that causes the destruction of all sins
• सर्वपापक्षयंकरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास (determinative: ‘making the destruction of all sins’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; भीमेश्वरम् इति विशेषणम्

• सेवितम्: worshipped/served
• सेवितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; भीमेश्वरम् इति विशेषणम्

• ऋषिसङ्घैः: by groups of sages
• ऋषिसङ्घैः: Karana (Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक) + सङ्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (ऋषीणां सङ्घाः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• भीमव्रतधरैः: by those who observe a formidable vow
• भीमव्रतधरैः: Karana (Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (भीमं व्रतं धरन्ति ये); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• शुभैः: virtuous, auspicious
• शुभैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; विशेषण (भीमव्रतधरैः)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhīmeśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍavaśreṣṭha (likely Yudhiṣṭhira)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims arrive at a forested Śiva temple of Bhīmeśvara; sages in matted hair perform abhiṣeka; vrata-observers stand with disciplined posture; the liṅga is central with bilva leaves and water pots.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Bhīmeśvara
• Ṛṣis
• Bhīma-vrata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Seek purification through pilgrimage and devotion: approaching a Śaiva tīrtha with faith is praised as a means for the removal of sin.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Bhīmeśvara, presented as a sin-destroying Śiva-sthāna revered by sages.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pilgrimage to Bhīmeśvara and the ideal of vrata-observance (Bhīma-vrata) are highlighted.