Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

स्थितः सर्वात्मभावेन तीर्थे पंचनदे परे । एतदाख्याहि षड्वक्त्र पंचवक्त्राद्यथा श्रुतम्

Transliteration

sthitaḥ sarvātmabhāvena tīrthe paṃcanade pare | etadākhyāhi ṣaḍvaktra paṃcavaktrādyathā śrutam

Translation

ആ പരമ തീർത്ഥമായ പഞ്ചനദയിൽ അവൻ സർവ്വാത്മഭാവത്തോടെ നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു. ഹേ ഷഡ്വക്ത്രാ! പഞ്ചവക്ത്രൻ (ശിവൻ) നിന്നു നീ കേട്ടതുപോലെ തന്നേ എനിക്കു വിവരിച്ചു പറയുക.

Word by Word

• स्थितः: standing/abiding
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative singular)

• सर्वात्मभावेन: with the state of being the Self of all
• सर्वात्मभावेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-आत्म-भाव (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + आत्मन् + भाव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (Masculine, Instrumental singular)

• तीर्थे: in the sacred ford/place
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (Neuter, Locative singular)

• पञ्चनदे: at Pañcanada (place of five rivers)
• पञ्चनदे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च-नद (प्रातिपदिक; पञ्च + नद)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (Neuter, Locative singular)

• परे: supreme/other; further
• परे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Locative singular; adjective)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative singular)

• आख्याहि: tell/declare
• आख्याहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Imperative, 2nd singular)

• षड्वक्त्र: O six-faced one (Kārttikeya)
• षड्वक्त्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट्-वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक; षट् + वक्त्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (Masculine, Vocative singular)

• पञ्चवक्त्रात्: from the five-faced one (Śiva)
• पञ्चवक्त्रात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च-वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक; पञ्च + वक्त्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (Masculine, Ablative singular)

• यथा: as/according to
• यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/उपमानवाचक (as/according as)

• श्रुतम्: heard
• श्रुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc singular)

Speaker

Agastya (requesting Skanda to report Śiva’s teaching)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pañcanada

Type: sangam

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: An inquirer (implied devotee/ṛṣi)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee addresses Ṣaḍvaktra (Skanda/Kārttikeya) requesting the Pañcanada account as received from Pañcavaktra Śiva; in the background, the confluence glows with a subtle all-pervading presence.

Characters & Entities

• Pañcanada Tīrtha
• Ṣaḍvaktra (Skanda)
• Pañcavaktra (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True sacred knowledge is preserved through lineage and faithful transmission; the tīrtha’s greatness is grounded in Śiva’s own revelation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Pañcanada Tīrtha in Kāśī, described as a supreme site where the divine abides as the universal Self.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse emphasizes śravaṇa (hearing) and authoritative narration of tīrtha-māhātmya.