Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच । ततो गच्छेद्धराधीश हंसतीर्थमनुत्तमम् । यत्र हंसस्तपस्तप्त्वा ब्रह्मवाहनतां गतः

Transliteration

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca | tato gaccheddharādhīśa haṃsatīrthamanuttamam | yatra haṃsastapastaptvā brahmavāhanatāṃ gataḥ

Translation

ஸ்ரீமார்கண்டேயர் கூறினார்—பின்னர், ஓ பூமியாதிபா, ஒப்பற்ற ஹம்ஸதீர்த்தத்திற்குச் செல்ல வேண்டும்; அங்கே ஹம்ஸன் தவம் செய்து பிரம்மாவின் வாகனப் பதவியை அடைந்தான்।

Word by Word

• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: the venerable Mārkaṇḍeya
• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; समासः—श्री + मार्कण्डेय (कर्मधारयः: ‘श्रीमान् मार्कण्डेयः’)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• गच्छेत्: should go
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; विध्यर्थ (injunctive)

• धराधीश: O lord of the earth (king)
• धराधीश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धराधीश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case), एकवचन; समासः—धरा + अधीश (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘धरायाः अधीशः’)

• हंसतीर्थम्: to Haṃsa-tīrtha
• हंसतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंसतीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; समासः—हंस + तीर्थ (तत्पुरुषः)

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, excellent
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying हंसतीर्थम्)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Relative location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक-स्थानवाचक (relative adverb of place)

• हंसः: the swan (Haṃsa)
• हंसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• तप्त्वा: having performed (austerity)
• तप्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)

• ब्रह्मवाहनताम्: the state of being Brahmā’s vehicle
• ब्रह्मवाहनताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मवाहनता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; समासः—ब्रह्मन् + वाहन (तत्पुरुषः) + ता (भावप्रत्यय)

• गतः: went, attained
• गतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्तरि कृदन्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Haṃsatīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dharādhiśa (a king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On the banks of the Revā, a serene tīrtha with lotuses; a radiant haṃsa performs austerities (standing still, meditative); above, Brahmā acknowledges and the haṃsa is envisioned as the divine vehicle.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Haṃsatīrtha
• Haṃsa (swan)
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha becomes ‘unsurpassed’ through tapas and sacred history; visiting such a place aligns the pilgrim with that ascetic power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Haṃsatīrtha, introduced as an anuttama (unsurpassed) pilgrimage site in the Revā-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A direct pilgrimage injunction: ‘one should go’ to Haṃsatīrtha.