Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

अनलं नर्मदातीरे सर्वत्र गमनाधिकम् । अष्टषष्टिं तु देवस्य भास्करस्यामितद्युतेः

Transliteration

analaṃ narmadātīre sarvatra gamanādhikam | aṣṭaṣaṣṭiṃ tu devasya bhāskarasyāmitadyuteḥ

Translation

നർമദാതീരത്ത് ‘അനല’ എന്ന വ്രതം/അനുഷ്ഠാനം ഉണ്ട്; അത് എല്ലായിടത്തും ശ്രേഷ്ഠമായ ഗമന-സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യം നൽകുന്നതായി പ്രസിദ്ധം. അവിടെ അമിതപ്രഭയുള്ള ഭാസ്കരദേവനു അഷ്ടഷഷ്ടി വിധത്തിലുള്ള സ്തവ-പൂജ നടത്തണം।

Word by Word

• अनलम्: Anala (name; ‘fire’)
• अनलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• नर्मदातीरे: on the bank of the Narmadā
• नर्मदातीरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा-तीर (प्रातिपदिक; नर्मदा + तीर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (नर्मदायाः तीरम्)

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Sambandha/Adverbial (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• गमनाधिकम्: superior in movement/going
• गमनाधिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गमन-अधिक (प्रातिपदिक; गमन + अधिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (गमने अधिकः)

• अष्टषष्टिम्: sixty-eight
• अष्टषष्टिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट-षष्टि (प्रातिपदिक; अष्ट + षष्टि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (अष्ट च षष्टिः = 68)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• देवस्य: of the deity
• देवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• भास्करस्य: of Bhāskara (the Sun)
• भास्करस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भास्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• अमितद्युतेः: of (him) of immeasurable radiance
• अमितद्युतेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमित-द्युति (प्रातिपदिक; अमित + द्युति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/विशेषण-रूपेण, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (अमिता द्युतिः यस्य)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva), inferred from the ongoing narration style in this section

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Narmadā-tīra (Anala observance site)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dawn on the Narmadā: a sādhaka stands waist-deep offering arghya; a small fire (anala) burns on the bank; a rosary or tally marks indicate 68 praises; Bhāskara rises with intense rays.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā
• Bhāskara (Sūrya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic path links sacred geography with disciplined worship: honoring Sūrya at a tirtha multiplies auspicious outcomes and spiritual potency.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A sacred spot/observance called “Anala” on the bank of the Narmadā, within the broader Prabhāsa sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prescribed, sixty-eightfold act of praise/worship (aṣṭaṣaṣṭi) for Bhāskara (Sūrya).