Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

स्थितः सर्वात्मभावेन तीर्थे पंचनदे परे । एतदाख्याहि षड्वक्त्र पंचवक्त्राद्यथा श्रुतम्

Transliteration

sthitaḥ sarvātmabhāvena tīrthe paṃcanade pare | etadākhyāhi ṣaḍvaktra paṃcavaktrādyathā śrutam

Translation

Di tīrtha tertinggi Pañcanada itu, Dia bersemayam dengan hakikat sebagai Ātman bagi semua. Wahai Ṣaḍvaktra, ceritakanlah kepadaku tepat sebagaimana engkau mendengarnya daripada Yang Bermuka Lima (Śiva).

Word by Word

• स्थितः: standing/abiding
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative singular)

• सर्वात्मभावेन: with the state of being the Self of all
• सर्वात्मभावेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-आत्म-भाव (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + आत्मन् + भाव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (Masculine, Instrumental singular)

• तीर्थे: in the sacred ford/place
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (Neuter, Locative singular)

• पञ्चनदे: at Pañcanada (place of five rivers)
• पञ्चनदे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च-नद (प्रातिपदिक; पञ्च + नद)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (Neuter, Locative singular)

• परे: supreme/other; further
• परे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Locative singular; adjective)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative singular)

• आख्याहि: tell/declare
• आख्याहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Imperative, 2nd singular)

• षड्वक्त्र: O six-faced one (Kārttikeya)
• षड्वक्त्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट्-वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक; षट् + वक्त्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (Masculine, Vocative singular)

• पञ्चवक्त्रात्: from the five-faced one (Śiva)
• पञ्चवक्त्रात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च-वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक; पञ्च + वक्त्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (Masculine, Ablative singular)

• यथा: as/according to
• यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/उपमानवाचक (as/according as)

• श्रुतम्: heard
• श्रुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc singular)

Speaker

Agastya (requesting Skanda to report Śiva’s teaching)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pañcanada

Type: sangam

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: An inquirer (implied devotee/ṛṣi)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee addresses Ṣaḍvaktra (Skanda/Kārttikeya) requesting the Pañcanada account as received from Pañcavaktra Śiva; in the background, the confluence glows with a subtle all-pervading presence.

Characters & Entities

• Pañcanada Tīrtha
• Ṣaḍvaktra (Skanda)
• Pañcavaktra (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True sacred knowledge is preserved through lineage and faithful transmission; the tīrtha’s greatness is grounded in Śiva’s own revelation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Pañcanada Tīrtha in Kāśī, described as a supreme site where the divine abides as the universal Self.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse emphasizes śravaṇa (hearing) and authoritative narration of tīrtha-māhātmya.