Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

गच्छेच्च शांकरं तीर्थं ततस्त्रैलोक्यपावनम् । यत्र स्नात्वा नरो भक्त्या लभेद्बहुसुवर्णकम्

Transliteration

gacchecca śāṃkaraṃ tīrthaṃ tatastrailokyapāvanam | yatra snātvā naro bhaktyā labhedbahusuvarṇakam

Translation

ਫਿਰ ਤ੍ਰਿਲੋਕ ਪਾਵਨ ਸ਼ਾਂਕਰ ਤੀਰਥ ਵੱਲ ਜਾਓ। ਜਿੱਥੇ ਭਕਤੀ ਨਾਲ ਸਨਾਨ ਕਰਕੇ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਬਹੁਤ ਸੁਵਰਨ, ਅਰਥਾਤ ਮਹਾਨ ਸਮ੍ਰਿੱਧੀ ਤੇ ਪੁੰਨ, ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• गच्छेत्: should go
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/Potential), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शांकरम्: Śaṅkara-related
• शांकरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शांकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• तीर्थम्: pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अपादान/क्रमबोधक (then/from there)

• त्रैलोक्यपावनम्: purifier of the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यपावनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रैलोक्य + पावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्रैलोक्यस्य पावनम्)

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

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having bathed)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/Potential), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• बहुसुवर्णकम्: much gold
• बहुसुवर्णकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु + सुवर्णक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (बहुं सुवर्णकम्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śāṃkara-tīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrims (viprendra-s)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims approach a Śiva-marked ford with a liṅga or trident emblem; after bathing, a radiant shower of golden light symbolizes ‘bahu-suvarṇa’ merit; the tīrtha is portrayed as cosmically purifying.

Characters & Entities

• Śāṃkara Tīrtha
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Trailokya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-tīrthas sanctify the pilgrim; devotion joined to snāna yields both spiritual and worldly auspiciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śāṃkara Tīrtha, celebrated as ‘purifier of the three worlds’.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Devotional bathing (snāna) at Śāṃkara Tīrtha.