Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

न स्नायात्सर्वतीर्थेऽस्मिन्यावद्ब्राह्मणपुंगवाः । अनुष्ठितैर्महायागैस्तथा तीर्थनिषेवणैः

Transliteration

na snāyātsarvatīrthe'sminyāvadbrāhmaṇapuṃgavāḥ | anuṣṭhitairmahāyāgaistathā tīrthaniṣevaṇaiḥ

Translation

Wahai yang terunggul dalam kalangan brāhmaṇa, janganlah mandi di Sarvatīrtha ini sehingga diri didisiplinkan melalui mahāyajña yang dilaksanakan menurut tatacara, serta melalui khidmat yang wajar kepada tirtha-tirtha suci yang lain.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negation)

• स्नायात्: should bathe
• स्नायात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सर्वतीर्थे: in the all-tīrtha
• सर्वतीर्थे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• यावत्: until; as long as
• यावत्: Kala/Avadhi (Time-limit/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/सम्बन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: अवधि-सम्बन्धक-अव्ययम् (correlative: 'as long as/until')

• ब्राह्मणपुंगवाः: foremost among Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणपुंगवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण + पुंगव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्राह्मणानां पुंगवाः)

• अनुष्ठितैः: by (rites) performed
• अनुष्ठितैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु + स्था (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; (instrumental: 'by/with performed')

• महायागैः: with great sacrifices
• महायागैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā + याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः

• तथा: and also; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (also; likewise)

• तीर्थनिषेवणैः: with the practice/attendance of tīrthas
• तीर्थनिषेवणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + निषेवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तीर्थस्य निषेवणम्)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarvatīrtha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇa-puṅgavāḥ (foremost brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher-like brāhmaṇa addresses disciples, pointing toward the distant shining Sarvatīrtha while showing symbols of yajña (altar, fire, ladles), indicating preparatory discipline before bathing.

Characters & Entities

• Sarvatīrtha
• Brāhmaṇapuṃgavāḥ
• Mahāyāga
• Tīrthaniṣevaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage power is paired with dharmic preparation—ritual discipline and reverent tīrtha-sevā refine the seeker.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Sarvatīrtha is highlighted as so potent that it is approached with preparatory observances.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A cautionary prescription: do not undertake Sarvatīrtha snāna without prior dharmic preparation—mahāyāgas and proper tīrtha-niṣevaṇa.