Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

तस्माच्चन्द्रमसस्तीर्थमृषयः पर्युपासते । वैखानसाख्या ऋषयो वालखिल्यास्तथैव च

Transliteration

tasmāccandramasastīrthamṛṣayaḥ paryupāsate | vaikhānasākhyā ṛṣayo vālakhilyāstathaiva ca

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട് ഋഷിമാർ ചന്ദ്രമസ്-തീർത്ഥത്തെ നിരന്തരം ഉപാസിക്കുന്നു. വൈഖാനസ എന്നറിയപ്പെടുന്ന ഋഷികളും വാലഖില്യ ഋഷികളും അവിടെയെത്തി സേവിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore, from that (reason/place)
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इति अव्ययीभावार्थे (ablatival adverb); ‘therefore/from that’ (used adverbially)

• चन्द्रमसः: of the Moon
• चन्द्रमसः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular masculine

• तीर्थम्: sacred ford/pilgrimage spot
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular neuter

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural masculine

• पर्युपासते: worship/attend upon
• पर्युपासते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + उप + √आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (आत्मनेपद), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; Present, 3rd person plural

• वैखानसाख्याः: called Vaikhānasas
• वैखानसाख्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैखानस + आख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘named Vaikhānasa’); Nominative plural masculine (agreeing with ऋषयः)

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural masculine

• वालखिल्याः: Vālakhilya sages
• वालखिल्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वालखिल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural masculine

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (particle)

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

Speaker

Narrator (within Īśvara–Devī dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Candramas-tīrtha

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (context continues)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene tīrtha with clear water; groups of austere sages sit in meditation and perform sandhyā; Vaikhānas with ritual implements and Vālakhilyas as small radiant ascetics; moon symbolism subtly crowns the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Candramas-tīrtha
• Vaikhānas Ṛṣis
• Vālakhilya Ṛṣis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha’s greatness is affirmed by the sustained practice and reverence of accomplished sages.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Candramas-tīrtha (the Moon’s sacred bathing place) in Prabhāsa Kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse implies regular upāsanā (reverent attendance/worship) at the tīrtha.