Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

तत्र तस्यैव तीरस्थो वीक्षांचक्रे समाहितः । कार्तिक्यां कृत्तिकायोगे चिह्नदर्शनलालसः

Transliteration

tatra tasyaiva tīrastho vīkṣāṃcakre samāhitaḥ | kārtikyāṃ kṛttikāyoge cihnadarśanalālasaḥ

Translation

അവിടെയേ തന്നെ ആ തീരത്ത് നിന്നുകൊണ്ട്, ഏകാഗ്രചിത്തനായി അദ്ദേഹം കാർത്തിക മാസത്തിൽ കൃത്തികാ-യോഗം വന്നാൽ പുണ്യചിഹ്നദർശനം ലഭിക്കുമെന്ന ആകാംക്ഷയിൽ കാത്തുനോക്കി।

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक)

• तस्य: of that (place/thing)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Genitive singular

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण-निपात)

• तीरस्थः: standing on the bank
• तीरस्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीर + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तीरे स्थितः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Nominative singular; विशेषणम्

• वीक्षाम्: a look/observation
• वीक्षाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Accusative singular

• चक्रे: made/did
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• समाहितः: composed, concentrated
• समाहितः: Karta (Subject attribute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + हित (कृदन्त; √धा (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Nominative singular; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• कार्तिक्याम्: in (the month of) Kārttika
• कार्तिक्याम्: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Locative singular (time)

• कृत्तिकायोगे: at the conjunction with Kṛttikā (nakṣatra)
• कृत्तिकायोगे: Adhikarana (Time/occasion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्तिका + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कृत्तिकायाः योगः); पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Locative singular

• चिह्नदर्शनलालसः: eager to see the sign
• चिह्नदर्शनलालसः: Karta (Subject attribute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिह्न + दर्शन + लालस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (चिह्नस्य दर्शनाय लालसः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Nominative singular; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative continuation; context leads into Sūta’s reply later)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jyeṣṭha Puṣkara

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇas/sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solitary devotee/brāhmaṇa stands on the lake’s edge at dawn-night threshold, hands folded, gaze fixed on the water, awaiting the Kṛttikā moment in Kārttika; stars fade as moonlight shimmers.

Characters & Entities

• Kārttika
• Kṛttikā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred time (kāla) intensifies sacred place (deśa): disciplined attention and devotion prepare one to receive tīrtha-darśana.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Puṣkara tīrtha, specifically its bank where the ‘cihna’ is awaited.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observing the Kārttika–Kṛttikā-yoga as an auspicious occasion for seeking the tīrtha’s special sign (cihna-darśana).