Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

पार्श्ववक्त्रैर्द्विजश्रेष्ठ मध्यमं परिकीर्तितम् । अधोवक्त्रैस्तथा ज्ञेयं कनिष्ठं पुष्करं क्षितौ

Transliteration

pārśvavaktrairdvijaśreṣṭha madhyamaṃ parikīrtitam | adhovaktraistathā jñeyaṃ kaniṣṭhaṃ puṣkaraṃ kṣitau

Translation

ഹേ ദ്വിജശ്രേഷ്ഠാ! വശമുഖ താമരകളാൽ തിരിച്ചറിയപ്പെടുന്ന പുഷ്കരം ‘മധ്യമ പുഷ്കരം’ എന്നു പ്രസിദ്ധമാണ്. താഴ്മുഖ താമരകളാൽ ചിഹ്നിതമായത് ഭൂമിയിൽ ‘കനിഷ്ഠ പുഷ്കരം’ എന്നു അറിയണം.

Word by Word

• pārśva-vaktraiḥ: with side-faced (ones)
• pārśva-vaktraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pārśva (प्रातिपदिक) + vaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (Instrumental Plural)

• dvija-śreṣṭha: O best of the twice-born
• dvija-śreṣṭha: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (Masculine Vocative Singular)

• madhyamam: the middle (Puṣkara)
• madhyamam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter Nom./Acc. Sing.)

• parikīrtitam: is proclaimed/declared
• parikīrtitam: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√kīrt (कीर्त् धातु) + -ta (क्त)
• Form: कर्मणि भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter Nom./Acc. Sing.)

• adho-vaktraiḥ: with downward-faced (ones)
• adho-vaktraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhas (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-भाव) + vaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (Instrumental Plural)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'thus/likewise')

• jñeyam: is to be known/recognized
• jñeyam: Vidhi (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √jñā (ज्ञा धातु) + -ya (कृत्)
• Form: भाव्य/विधेय-कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter Nom./Acc. Sing.)

• kaniṣṭham: the youngest
• kaniṣṭham: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kaniṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter Nom./Acc. Sing.)

• puṣkaram: Puṣkara (tīrtha)
• puṣkaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter Nom./Acc. Sing.)

• kṣitau: on the earth
• kṣitau: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣiti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Locative Singular)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative instruction within Sūta’s discourse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Madhyama Puṣkara; Kaniṣṭha Puṣkara

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijaśreṣṭha (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two adjacent ponds: one with side-facing lotuses (Madhyama), another with downward-facing lotuses (Kaniṣṭha). A learned brāhmaṇa-pilgrim gestures as if teaching the distinctions.

Characters & Entities

• Puṣkara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places are approached with discernment: recognizing tīrtha-signs and then bathing with faith makes the pilgrimage purposeful and dharmic.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Puṣkara, distinguished into Madhyama Puṣkara and Kaniṣṭha Puṣkara by visible lotus-marks.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A practical prescription of tīrtha-identification (by lotus orientation) prior to undertaking snāna (ritual bathing).