Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वाथ सा देवी समानीयौषधीभृतान् । हेमकुंभान्सुतीर्थांभः परिपूर्णान्महोदयान्

Transliteration

evamuktvātha sā devī samānīyauṣadhībhṛtān | hemakuṃbhānsutīrthāṃbhaḥ paripūrṇānmahodayān

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞ് ദേവി ഔഷധധാരികളെ വിളിച്ചു വരുത്തി, ഉത്തമ തീർത്ഥജലത്തോടെ നിറഞ്ഞ, അത്യന്തം ശുഭവും ദീപ്തിയുമുള്ള സ്വർണ്ണകുംഭങ്ങൾ കൊണ്ടുവന്നു।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरबोधक अव्यय (particle: then)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• समानीय: having brought/assembled
• समानीय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + √नी (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• औषधीभृतान्: those bearing herbs
• औषधीभृतान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: औषधी (प्रातिपदिक) + भृत् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √भृ (धातु) कृत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—औषधीः बिभ्रति इति (bearers of herbs)

• हेमकुम्भान्: golden pots
• हेमकुम्भान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेम (प्रातिपदिक) + कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—हेममयाः कुम्भाः

• सुतीर्थाम्भः: water of the sacred tīrtha
• सुतीर्थाम्भः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्भस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—सुतीर्थस्य अम्भः (water of the good tīrtha)

• परिपूर्णान्: filled completely
• परिपूर्णान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिपूर्ण (कृदन्त; √पॄ (धातु) + परि- उपसर्ग)
• Form: भूतकालिक क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (कुम्भान्)

• महोदयान्: great/auspicious
• महोदयान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + उदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—महान् उदयः येषाम् (or: great/auspicious) विशेषण (कुम्भान्)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Su-tīrtha (excellent ford) supplying consecration water (name not specified in verse)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Goddess commands attendants carrying bundles of medicinal herbs; golden pitchers brim with shimmering tīrtha water, catching light; the scene is a ritual prelude filled with expectancy.

Characters & Entities

• Pārvatī (Devī)
• Su-tīrtha (excellent tīrtha)
• Hema-kumbha (golden pitchers)
• Auṣadhī (healing herbs)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred rites draw power from tīrtha-water and auspicious substances, expressing devotion through purity, fullness, and sanctified materials.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A “su-tīrtha” is referenced—an excellent sacred ford—without a proper name in this verse, reinforcing the sanctity of tīrtha-water itself.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Preparation for abhiṣeka: gathering auspicious vessels and tīrtha-water, along with herbal sanctifiers (auṣadhīs).