Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

कथं लभ्येत सर्वेषां तीर्थानां स्नानजं फलम् । अल्पायुर्भिर्महाभाग कलिकाल उपस्थिते

Transliteration

kathaṃ labhyeta sarveṣāṃ tīrthānāṃ snānajaṃ phalam | alpāyurbhirmahābhāga kalikāla upasthite

Translation

ഹേ മഹാഭാഗ, കലികാലം എത്തിയിരിക്കെ മനുഷ്യർ അൽപായുസ്സുള്ളവരായിരിക്കുമ്പോൾ, എല്ലാ തീർത്ഥങ്ങളിലെ സ്നാനജന്യ ഫലം എങ്ങനെ ലഭിക്കും?

Word by Word

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative adverb: how)

• लभ्येत: could be obtained
• लभ्येत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (be obtained)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘तीर्थानाम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तीर्थानाम्: of tīrthas
• तीर्थानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• स्नानजम्: born of bathing (resulting from bathing)
• स्नानजम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (कृदन्त; √जन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषभावः (स्नानात् जातम्); ‘फलम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अल्पायुःभिः: by short-lived (people)
• अल्पायुःभिः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मधारयः (अल्पम् आयुः येषाम्)

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहिः (महान् भागः यस्य)

• कलिकाले: in the Kali age
• कलिकाले: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलिकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कलिः एव कालः)

• उपस्थिते: when (it) has arrived/present
• उपस्थिते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपस्थित (कृदन्त; √स्था + उप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकृत् (past participle)

Speaker

Ṛṣis (Sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarva-tīrtha-snānaja-phala (desired)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sūta

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages express concern: a visual contrast between countless distant tīrthas and the frailty of Kali-yuga humans; Sūta poised to reveal an accessible method.

Characters & Entities

• Kali-yuga
• Tīrtha
• Snāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tradition acknowledges human limitation in Kali-yuga and seeks concentrated, accessible means to attain vast spiritual merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha yet; the question sets the stage for identifying select places/practices that yield comprehensive tīrtha merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (ritual bathing) is referenced as the source of tīrtha merit, prompting inquiry into an efficient method for Kali-yuga.