Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

तमो निस्तीर्यते सम्य ग्यथा सवितृदर्शनात् । तथैव नेतरैस्तीर्थैर्न च क्षेत्रैर्मनोरमैः

Transliteration

tamo nistīryate samya gyathā savitṛdarśanāt | tathaiva netaraistīrthairna ca kṣetrairmanoramaiḥ

Translation

ଯେପରି ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟଦର୍ଶନରେ ଅନ୍ଧକାର ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଦୂର ହୁଏ, ସେପରି ଅନ୍ୟ ତୀର୍ଥମାନେ କିମ୍ବା ମନୋରମ କ୍ଷେତ୍ରମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ (ପାପରୂପ) ତମସ୍‌କୁ ସେଇପରି ହଟାଇପାରନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• तमः: darkness
• तमः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular)

• निस्तीर्यते: is crossed over/removed
• निस्तीर्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निस् + तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लट्, कर्मणि प्रयोग, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (present indicative, passive, 3rd person singular)

• सम्यक्: completely, properly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb; 'properly/completely')

• यथा: as
• यथा: Upamana (Comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (indeclinable; 'as')

• सवितृदर्शनात्: from seeing the sun
• सवितृदर्शनात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवितृ + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (neuter, ablative singular)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Connection/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (indeclinable; 'thus')

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (indeclinable; emphasis 'indeed/only')

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• इतरैः: by other
• इतरैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (masc/neut, instrumental plural; adjective)

• तीर्थैः: by pilgrim-places
• तीर्थैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (neuter, instrumental plural)

• न: nor
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• च: and
• च: Conjunction (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (indeclinable conjunction 'and')

• क्षेत्रैः: by sacred fields/holy places
• क्षेत्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (neuter, instrumental plural)

• मनोरमैः: charming
• मनोरमैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोरम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (masc/neut, instrumental plural; adjective)

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice not identifiable from the isolated verse; likely Purāṇic narrator within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gokarṇa (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee steps into Gokarṇa as if into sunrise; darkness (personified) retreats, while other tīrthas appear as moonlit or lamp-lit—pleasant but less decisive.

Characters & Entities

• Savitṛ (Sun)
• Gokarṇa (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Some sacred places are portrayed as uniquely transformative—like sunlight to darkness—due to exceptional divine presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gokarṇa, implicitly contrasted as superior to other tīrthas and kṣetras.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse uses a metaphor to emphasize the special efficacy of this pilgrimage.