Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

गङ्गा षष्टिसहस्रैस्तु क्षेत्रपालैः प्रपूज्यते । तदर्धैरन्यतीर्थानि रक्षन्ते नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

gaṅgā ṣaṣṭisahasraistu kṣetrapālaiḥ prapūjyate | tadardhairanyatīrthāni rakṣante nātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

ଗଙ୍ଗାଙ୍କୁ ଷଷ୍ଟି ସହସ୍ର କ୍ଷେତ୍ରପାଳ ଦ୍ୱାରା ବିଧିପୂର୍ବକ ପୂଜା କରାଯାଏ। ଅନ୍ୟ ତୀର୍ଥମାନେ ତାହାର ଅର୍ଧ ସଂଖ୍ୟାରେ ରକ୍ଷିତ—ଏଥିରେ ସନ୍ଦେହ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• गङ्गा: Ganga
• गङ्गा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• षष्टि-सहस्रैः: by sixty-thousands (i.e., by sixty thousand)
• षष्टि-सहस्रैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); संख्यासमास (द्विगु)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थे (emphasis/contrast)

• क्षेत्रपालैः: by the guardians of the sacred place
• क्षेत्रपालैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्रपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्षेत्रस्य पालः)

• प्रपूज्यते: is worshipped
• प्रपूज्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु) उपसर्गः प्र-
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• तदर्धैः: by half of those
• तदर्धैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष (तस्य अर्धम्)

• अन्य-तीर्थानि: other holy places
• अन्य-तीर्थानि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मधारय (अन्यानि तीर्थानि)

• रक्षन्ते: are protected / protect (themselves)
• रक्षन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Skanda Purana narrative framework)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā-tīrtha (archetypal reference)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wide Gaṅgā river vista with luminous kṣetrapālas stationed along ghāṭas and riverbanks, forming a protective ring; pilgrims offer añjali while the river glows with sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Kṣetrapāla
• Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrthas are living sacred realms guarded by divine protectors; reverence and purity are demanded within them.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā as the paradigmatic tīrtha, contrasted with other tīrthas protected by fewer kṣetrapālas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is commanded; the verse establishes the doctrine of kṣetrapāla-guardianship and implied reverence.