Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

सर्वपापक्षयकरं सर्वदुःखघ्नमुत्तमम् । तत्र तीर्थे तु यः स्नाति उपवासपरायणः

Transliteration

sarvapāpakṣayakaraṃ sarvaduḥkhaghnamuttamam | tatra tīrthe tu yaḥ snāti upavāsaparāyaṇaḥ

Translation

ते तीर्थ परम उत्तम आहे—सर्व पापांचा क्षय करणारे आणि सर्व दुःखांचा नाश करणारे। जो तेथे उपवासपरायण होऊन स्नान करतो, तो ते फल प्राप्त करतो।

Word by Word

• sarva-pāpa-kṣaya-karam: causing the destruction of all sins
• sarva-pāpa-kṣaya-karam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + pāpa + kṣaya + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः (सर्वेषां पापानां क्षयः यस्य/येन सः)

• sarva-duḥkha-ghnam: destroying all sorrow
• sarva-duḥkha-ghnam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + duḥkha + ghna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः (सर्वं दुःखं हन्ति इति)

• uttamam: excellent, supreme
• uttamam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• tīrthe: at the sacred ford/place of pilgrimage
• tīrthe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Discourse particle (Nipāta/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• yaḥ: who (he who)
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• snāti: bathes
• snāti: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: snā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• upavāsa-parāyaṇaḥ: devoted to fasting
• upavāsa-parāyaṇaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upavāsa + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (उपवासे परायणः—निष्ठावान्)

Speaker

Deductively: Purāṇic narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim (or group) stands at the sacred ford at dawn, having fasted; they enter the water with folded hands; the three pools and triple whirlpool shimmer; a calm radiance suggests sins dissolving like dark mist.

Characters & Entities

• Tīrtha
• Upavāsa (fasting)
• Snāna (bathing)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage joined with self-restraint (fasting) intensifies purification—washing away sin and alleviating suffering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same Revā Khaṇḍa tīrtha being praised as a destroyer of sins and sorrows.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (ritual bathing) at the tīrtha, performed with upavāsa (fasting/vrata-observance).