Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

श्रीराम उवाच । भगवन्यानि तीर्थानि सेवितानि त्वया विभो । एतेषां परमं तीर्थं तन्ममाचक्ष्व मानद

Transliteration

śrīrāma uvāca | bhagavanyāni tīrthāni sevitāni tvayā vibho | eteṣāṃ paramaṃ tīrthaṃ tanmamācakṣva mānada

Translation

ଶ୍ରୀରାମ କହିଲେ— ହେ ଭଗବନ୍, ହେ ବିଭୋ! ଆପଣ ଯେଯେ ତୀର୍ଥ ସେବା-ପୂଜା କରିଛନ୍ତି, ସେମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରୁ ପରମ ତୀର୍ଥ କେଉଁଟି, ହେ ମାନଦ, ମୋତେ କହନ୍ତୁ।

Word by Word

• श्रीरामः: Śrī Rāma
• श्रीरामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीराम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• भगवन्: O Lord
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• यानि: which
• यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तीर्थानि: pilgrimage places
• तीर्थानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सेवितानि: served/visited
• सेवितानि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन (Plural)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री (सर्वनाम), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• विभो: O mighty one
• विभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• एतेषाम्: of these
• एतेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक/पुं (सर्वनाम), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• तीर्थम्: pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• मम: to me / of me
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• आचक्ष्व: tell, explain
• आचक्ष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• मानद: O giver of honor
• मानद: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Śrī Rāma

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vasiṣṭha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śrī Rāma, composed and reverent, questions the sage about the highest tīrtha; a forest-āśrama setting with ascetics, water-pot (kamaṇḍalu), and prayerful posture.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Rāma
• Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A sincere seeker should approach a realized guide and inquire about the highest means of purification through tīrtha and dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse introduces the inquiry; the specific tīrtha is identified in the subsequent verses (notably the Narmadā and Gaṅgā).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed here; it is a request for authoritative instruction about the सर्वोत्तम तीर्थ (supreme tīrtha).