Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

एतानि पंच तीर्थानि ददर्श कुरुपुंगवः । तपस्विभिर्वर्जितानि महापुण्यानि तानि च

Transliteration

etāni paṃca tīrthāni dadarśa kurupuṃgavaḥ | tapasvibhirvarjitāni mahāpuṇyāni tāni ca

Translation

Курупунгава, бык среди куру, узрел эти пять тиртх — места великой заслуги, хотя подвижники их избегают.

Word by Word

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• पंच: five
• पंच: Visheshana (Quantifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पञ्च (अव्यय/संख्याशब्द)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-अव्यय (numeral, indeclinable)

• तीर्थानि: tīrthas; sacred places
• तीर्थानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कुरुपुंगवः: the bull among the Kurus (best of Kurus)
• कुरुपुंगवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु + पुंगव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कुरु + पुंगव (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘कुरूणां पुंगवः’)

• तपस्विभिः: by ascetics
• तपस्विभिः: Karana/Agent-in-passive (Instrument/कर्ता-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• वर्जितानि: avoided; shunned
• वर्जितानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ज् (धातु) + त (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘त्यक्तानि/वर्जितानि’

• महापुण्यानि: greatly meritorious
• महापुण्यानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; समासः—महा + पुण्य (कर्मधारयः)

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Five unnamed-as-a-set tīrthas (Stambheśa etc.)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Kuru hero stands at the edge of five waters/shrines, perceiving their radiance; in the background, ascetics keep distance, suggesting an unseen threat beneath the water.

Characters & Entities

• Kuru-puṅgava (Arjuna/Phālguna implied)
• Five tīrthas
• Tāpasas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True merit can coexist with trial; sacred places may test courage and purity, not merely offer comfort.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The collective set of five tīrthas introduced in this passage (including Stambheśa, Barkareśvara, Mahākāla, Siddheśa, and the tīrtha near Kumāreśa).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The context centers on darśana and intended snāna at the tīrthas.