Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

सर्वाणि शुक्लतां यांति विशिष्टानि भवंति च । ज्ञात्वा ततः परं तीर्थं स्नानं चक्रे यथाविधि

Transliteration

sarvāṇi śuklatāṃ yāṃti viśiṣṭāni bhavaṃti ca | jñātvā tataḥ paraṃ tīrthaṃ snānaṃ cakre yathāvidhi

Translation

അവ എല്ലാം ശ്വേതമായി, വിശിഷ്ടവുമായി. തുടർന്ന് ആ തീർത്ഥത്തിന്റെ പരമ മഹിമ അറിഞ്ഞ് അവൻ വിധിപൂർവ്വം അവിടെ സ്നാനം ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• sarvāṇi: all
• sarvāṇi: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Plural)

• śuklatām: whiteness
• śuklatām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śuklatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• yānti: go/turn into
• yānti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (या) (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (3rd person plural)

• viśiṣṭāni: distinguished, excellent
• viśiṣṭāni: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi√śiṣ (धातु) + kta (क्त) → viśiṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Plural)

• bhavanti: become
• bhavanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू) (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (3rd person plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction): and

• jñātvā: having known
• jñātvā: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: jñā (ज्ञा) (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): having known

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): then/thereafter

• param: supreme/other
• param: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• tīrtham: holy place
• tīrtham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• snānam: bath
• snānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• cakre: performed/did
• cakre: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ) (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular)

• yathāvidhi: as prescribed
• yathāvidhi: Prakaraṇa (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverb): according to rule

Speaker

Pulastya (deduced from immediate section context; Adhyāya 24 explicitly begins with Pulastya speaking)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Paramatīrtha-nirjhara of Arbuda (as characterized in the verse)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājendra (addressed) / broader frame audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: After seeing all garments turn white, the king bows inwardly, approaches the water with reverence, and performs a formal bath with attendants respectfully waiting.

Characters & Entities

• Śuklatīrtha
• King

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True recognition of a tīrtha culminates in yathāvidhi practice—purity is completed by disciplined ritual and intent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śuklatīrtha, called ‘parama tīrtha’ due to its extraordinary purifying effect.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (sacred bath) to be performed yathāvidhi—according to prescribed procedure.