Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

ततस्तु प्रार्थयेद्विप्रांस्तदर्थं च विशुद्धये । गर्तातीर्थोद्भवो विप्रो विनयावनतः स्थितः

Transliteration

tatastu prārthayedviprāṃstadarthaṃ ca viśuddhaye | gartātīrthodbhavo vipro vinayāvanataḥ sthitaḥ

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം സമ്പൂർണ്ണ വിശുദ്ധിക്കായി അതേ ഉദ്ദേശത്തോടെ അവൻ വിപ്രന്മാരോട് പ്രാർത്ഥിക്കണം. ഗർത്താ-തീർത്ഥോത്ഭവനായ ഒരു ബ്രാഹ്മണൻ വിനയത്തോടെ തലകുനിച്ച് അവിടെ നിന്നിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• ततः: then / thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तर-अर्थे (thereafter)

• तु: but / indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• प्रार्थयेत्: should request
• प्रार्थयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रार्थय् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• विप्रान्: Brahmins
• विप्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तत्-अर्थम्: for that purpose
• तत्-अर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तस्य अर्थः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• विशुद्धये: for purification
• विशुद्धये: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the sake of)

• गर्तातीर्थोद्भवः: originating from Gartā-tīrtha
• गर्तातीर्थोद्भवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्तातीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पञ्चमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-भावः (गर्तातीर्थात् उद्भवः = originating from Gartā-tīrtha)

• विप्रः: the Brahmin
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विनय-अवनतः: bowed down in humility
• विनय-अवनतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनय (प्रातिपदिक) + अवनत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √नम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (विनयेन अवनतः = bowed with humility); अवनत = भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• स्थितः: stood / remained
• स्थितः: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative instruction within Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gartā-tīrtha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa associated with the tīrtha stands or sits with folded hands, head bowed; the pilgrim’s request for purification is framed as a formal petition in a sacred precinct.

Characters & Entities

• Gartā-tīrtha
• vipra (brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Viśuddhi is approached through humility and rightful petition; tīrthas are upheld by lineages and specialists connected to the sacred place.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gartā-tīrtha is explicitly mentioned, indicating a localized sacred site within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s tīrtha narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Requesting brāhmaṇas for viśuddhi, with emphasis on humility (vinaya) in the petitioner/representative.