Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

अथ संकीर्णता जाता समंताज्ज्येष्ठपुष्करे । स्नानार्थमागतैर्लोकैरूर्ध्वबाहुभिरेव च

Transliteration

atha saṃkīrṇatā jātā samaṃtājjyeṣṭhapuṣkare | snānārthamāgatairlokairūrdhvabāhubhireva ca

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ജ്യേഷ്ഠപുഷ്കരത്തിൽ എല്ലാടവും മഹാനിറക്കം ഉണ്ടായി. സ്നാനാർത്ഥം വന്ന ജനങ്ങൾ ഭക്തിയോടെ കൈകൾ ഉയർത്തി നിന്നു.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भार्थक/अनन्तरार्थक (then/now)

• संकीर्णता: crowding, congestion
• संकीर्णता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकीर्णता (प्रातिपदिक; संकीर्ण + ता)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• जाता: arose, happened
• जाता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोगे ‘उत्पन्ना’ इत्यर्थः

• समन्तात्: from all sides
• समन्तात्: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण-भाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्तात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (from all sides)

• ज्येष्ठपुष्करे: at Jyeṣṭha-Puṣkara
• ज्येष्ठपुष्करे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठपुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन; समासः—ज्येष्ठं च तत् पुष्करम् (name of tīrtha)

• स्नानार्थम्: for bathing
• स्नानार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्नान-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् (for the purpose of bathing)

• आगतैः: by those who had come
• आगतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √गम् (धातु) → आगत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); बहुवचन; ‘लोकैः’ इति विशेषणम्

• लोकैः: by people
• लोकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); बहुवचन

• ऊर्ध्वबाहुभिः: with raised arms
• ऊर्ध्वबाहुभिः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊर्ध्व-बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); बहुवचन; समासः—ऊर्ध्वाः बाहवः येषां/ऊर्ध्वबाहवः (raised arms)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (indeed/only)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

Speaker

Sūta (narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jyeṣṭhapuṣkara

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast throng encircles the sacred waters of Jyeṣṭhapuṣkara; pilgrims press toward the ghāṭa, many with arms raised in devotion, dust and sunlight shimmering above the lake.

Characters & Entities

• Jyeṣṭhapuṣkara
• Pilgrims (lokāḥ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True tīrtha-māhātmya manifests socially: collective devotion gathers and amplifies sacred intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Jyeṣṭhapuṣkara, a Puṣkara tīrtha highlighted in this chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pilgrims assemble specifically for snāna, expressing devotion through gestures such as raised arms.