Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

तीर्थाभिलाषिभिर्मर्त्यैस्सेव्यं तीर्थांतरं नहि । अन्यत्र भूमिवलये तीर्थराजात्प्रया गतः

Transliteration

tīrthābhilāṣibhirmartyaissevyaṃ tīrthāṃtaraṃ nahi | anyatra bhūmivalaye tīrtharājātprayā gataḥ

Translation

തീർത്ഥാഭിലാഷമുള്ള മർത്ത്യർക്കു ഭൂമിവലയത്തിൽ തീർത്ഥരാജനായ പ്രയാഗം ഒഴികെ മറ്റൊരു തീർത്ഥം സേവിക്കേണ്ടതില്ല.

Word by Word

• तीर्थाभिलाषिभिः: by those desiring pilgrimages
• तीर्थाभिलाषिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + अभिलाषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः—तीर्थस्य अभिलाषी (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• मर्त्यैः: by mortals
• मर्त्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• सेव्यम्: to be served/visited
• सेव्यम्: Karya (Obligation/कर्तव्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव् (धातु) + यत् (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्-प्रत्यय, भाव्य/कर्तव्य-अर्थ), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘सेवनीयम्’ इत्यर्थः

• तीर्थान्तरम्: another sacred ford (other tirtha)
• तीर्थान्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तीर्थेषु अन्यत् (तत्पुरुषः)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere
• अन्यत्र: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: elsewhere)

• भूमिवलये: in the circle of the earth (on earth)
• भूमिवलये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि + वलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—भूमेः वलयम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• तीर्थराजात्: from the king of tirthas
• तीर्थराजात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; समासः—तीर्थानां राजा (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• प्रया: forth/away (as in ‘departed’)
• प्रया: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रया (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्)
• Form: अव्यय (गत्यर्थक-निपात), ‘प्रयातः’ इत्यत्र पदच्छेदे सहायकम्

• गतः: has gone/departed
• गतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, भूतकर्मणि/परिपूर्ण), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘गच्छितवान्/प्रयातः’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prayāga (Tīrtharāja)

Type: sangam

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇa (dvija)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim map-like panorama of Bhūmivala (earth’s circle) with many tīrthas faintly shown, while Prayāga shines centrally as a radiant confluence crowned like a king.

Characters & Entities

• Prayāga
• Tīrtharāja

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Among all pilgrimage places, Prayāga is presented as preeminent, fulfilling the pilgrim’s spiritual aim.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prayāga, explicitly titled “Tīrtharāja,” the king of sacred fords.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A general injunction to ‘resort to/serve’ (sevyaṃ) Prayāga; no specific bath, gift, or vow is detailed in this verse.