Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

पुरा निमित्ते कस्मिंश्चित्करीटी मणिकूटतः । समुद्रे दक्षिणेऽभ्यागात्स्नातुं तीर्थानि पंच च

Transliteration

purā nimitte kasmiṃścitkarīṭī maṇikūṭataḥ | samudre dakṣiṇe'bhyāgātsnātuṃ tīrthāni paṃca ca

Translation

Однажды в давние времена герой, увенчанный диадемой, вышел из Маникуты и прибыл к южному океану, намереваясь совершить омовение в пяти священных тиртхах.

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (formerly)

• निमित्ते: on an occasion
• निमित्ते: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• कस्मिन्: in some
• कस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; प्रश्न/अनिश्चितार्थक

• चित्: some/any
• चित्: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनिश्चितार्थक-निपात (indefinite particle)

• करीटी: the diadem-wearer (Arjuna)
• करीटी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करीटिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘करीट’ (मुकुट) धारणकर्ता

• मणिकूटतः: from Maṇikūṭa (mountain)
• मणिकूटतः: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणिकूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; समासः—मणीनां कूटः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• समुद्रे: in the sea
• समुद्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• दक्षिणे: southern
• दक्षिणे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण—समुद्रे

• अभ्यागात्: came / arrived
• अभ्यागात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + अभि (उपसर्ग) + आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्नातुम्: to bathe
• स्नातुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्ययवत्; प्रयोजनार्थक

• तीर्थानि: tīrthas (sacred fords)
• तीर्थानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (अव्यय/संख्याशब्द)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; अव्ययवत् (indeclinable numeral)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pañca-tīrtha (cluster at the southern ocean)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A crowned warrior-pilgrim departs a jewel-like hill (Maṇikūṭa), travels southward, and arrives at a vast ocean shore with five marked sacred bathing spots—flags, small shrines, and sages indicating each tīrtha.

Characters & Entities

• Maṇikūṭa
• Dakṣiṇa-samudra (southern ocean)
• Karīṭī (crowned hero)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A seeker intentionally approaches tīrthas for purifying snāna, showing that sacred geography is a doorway to dharma and inner cleansing.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces five tīrthas associated with the southern ocean region, setting the stage for their names and greatness in the following verses.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (ritual bathing) at five tīrthas is the stated religious act.