Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । तत्र सारस्वतं तीर्थमन्यदस्ति सुशोभनम् । यत्र स्नातोऽतिमूकोऽपि भवेद्वाक्यविचक्षणः

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | tatra sārasvataṃ tīrthamanyadasti suśobhanam | yatra snāto'timūko'pi bhavedvākyavicakṣaṇaḥ

Translation

ସୂତ କହିଲେ—ସେଠାରେ ‘ସାରସ୍ୱତ ତୀର୍ଥ’ ନାମରେ ଆଉ ଗୋଟିଏ ଅତି ଶୋଭନ ତୀର୍ଥ ଅଛି; ସେଠାରେ ସ୍ନାନ କଲେ ଅତିମୂକ ମଧ୍ୟ ବାକ୍ୟରେ ନିପୁଣ ଓ ବିଚକ୍ଷଣ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• सारस्वतम्: Sarasvat-related
• सारस्वतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सारस्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• तीर्थम्: a sacred ford
• तीर्थम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अन्यत्: another
• अन्यत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• सुशोभनम्: very beautiful
• सुशोभनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—कर्मधारय (सु + शोभन)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative locative adverb)

• स्नातः: (one who has) bathed
• स्नातः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √स्ना (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

• अतिमूकः: even very mute
• अतिमूकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + मूक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—कर्मधारय (अति + मूक)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवाद-अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• वाक्यविचक्षणः: skilled in speech/eloquent
• वाक्यविचक्षणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाक्य + विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (वाक्येषु विचक्षणः)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sārasvata Tīrtha

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene tīrtha pool/riverbank labeled ‘Sārasvata’, a devotee bathing; above or nearby, Sarasvatī with vīṇā and white lotus, blessing the bather; the devotee’s speech emerging as luminous syllables.

Characters & Entities

• Sārasvata Tīrtha
• Sarasvatī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-snānā is portrayed as transforming inner faculties—here, granting vāk-sāmarthya (power of speech) through sacred association.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Sārasvata Tīrtha, a Sarasvatī-associated holy bathing place in the Puṣkara region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (ritual bathing) at Sārasvata Tīrtha.