Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

चतुर्वर्गफलावाप्तिं दत्त्वा क्षेत्रस्य संययुः । केचित्स्कंदं प्रशंसंतस्तीर्थमन्ये हरिं परे

Transliteration

caturvargaphalāvāptiṃ dattvā kṣetrasya saṃyayuḥ | kecitskaṃdaṃ praśaṃsaṃtastīrthamanye hariṃ pare

Translation

ആ ക്ഷേത്രത്തിന് ധർമ്മം-അർത്ഥം-കാമം-മോക്ഷം എന്ന ചതുര്വർഗ്ഗഫലപ്രാപ്തി ദാനം ചെയ്ത് അവർ പുറപ്പെട്ടു. ചിലർ സ്കന്ദനെ, ചിലർ തീർത്ഥത്തെ, ചിലർ ഹരിയെ സ്തുതിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• चतुर्वर्गफलावाप्तिम्: attainment of the fruits of the four aims of life
• चतुर्वर्गफलावाप्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + varga (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + āvāpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः (चतुर्णां वर्गाणां फलानाम् आवाप्तिः) बहुपद-तत्पुरुष

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √dā (धातु) → dattvā (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• क्षेत्रस्य: of the sacred place/field
• क्षेत्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• संययुः: they departed/went together
• संययुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√yā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kecit (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• स्कन्दम्: Skanda
• स्कन्दम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: skanda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रशंसन्तः: praising
• प्रशंसन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√śaṃs (धातु) → praśaṃsant (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle)

• तीर्थम्: the pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• हरिम्: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• परे: others (the rest)
• परे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Nārada (narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Unnamed kṣetra associated with Siddhiliṅga

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas departing after endowing the kṣetra with caturvarga-phala; three groups shown: one praising Skanda, one venerating the tīrtha (water/ghāṭa symbol), one praising Hari (Viṣṇu iconography).

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Tīrtha
• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A true kṣetra is celebrated as a complete giver of puruṣārthas, and devotion can harmoniously honor Skanda, the place itself, and Hari.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter’s featured kṣetra/tīrtha (contextually tied to Siddhiliṅga and related sacred geography) is praised as bestowing caturvarga-phala.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed here; it emphasizes the kṣetra’s inherent power to grant the fourfold fruits.