Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

इत्थं पंचनदे तीर्थे क्षीरनीरधिजाधवः । संप्रेष्य तार्क्ष्यं त्र्यक्षाग्रे वृत्तांतविनिवेदितुम्

Transliteration

itthaṃ paṃcanade tīrthe kṣīranīradhijādhavaḥ | saṃpreṣya tārkṣyaṃ tryakṣāgre vṛttāṃtaviniveditum

Translation

இவ்வாறு பஞ்சநத தீர்த்தத்தில் க்ஷீரசாகரத்தில் உதித்த மాధவன், நிகழ்ந்தவற்றின் முழு விவரத்தையும் மும்முகக் கண்களையுடைய சிவபெருமானிடம் அறிவிக்கத் தார்க்ஷ்யன் (கருடன்) என்பவனை அனுப்பினான்।

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — adverb

• पञ्चनदे: at Pañcanada (the place of five rivers)
• पञ्चनदे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चनद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Locative singular; द्विगुसमासः (पञ्च + नद)

• तीर्थे: at the sacred ford/place of pilgrimage
• तीर्थे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Locative singular

• क्षीर-नीर-अधिज-आधवः: Ādhava, born from milk and water
• क्षीर-नीर-अधिज-आधवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक) + नीर (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिज (प्रातिपदिक) + आधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/बहुपदसमासः (क्षीरनीरयोः अधिजः = 'born from milk and water' + आधवः)

• संप्रेष्य: having sent
• संप्रेष्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्रेष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः — having sent/dispatching

• तार्क्ष्यम्: Tārkṣya (Garuḍa)
• तार्क्ष्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार्क्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• त्र्यक्ष-अग्रे: in front of the three-eyed one (Śiva)
• त्र्यक्ष-अग्रे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्र्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Locative singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्र्यक्षस्य अग्रे)

• वृत्तान्त-विनिवेदितुम्: to report the account/news
• वृत्तान्त-विनिवेदितुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत्तान्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वि + नि + वेद् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive) — to report/announce; कर्म-तत्पुरुषः (वृत्तान्तं विनिवेदितुम्)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pañcanada Tīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Likely a sage such as Agastya (traditional Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Pañcanada’s sacred ford, Mādhava stands or sits in divine composure and dispatches Garuḍa skyward toward the three-eyed Śiva, as river-currents and pilgrims frame the moment.

Characters & Entities

• Pañcanada Tīrtha
• Mādhava (Viṣṇu)
• Tārkṣya (Garuḍa)
• Tryakṣa (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine acts unfold through dharmic communication and mutual honoring—here, Viṣṇu respectfully sends a message to Śiva, reflecting harmony of traditions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Pañcanada Tīrtha, presented as the setting for a significant divine exchange within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite (snāna, dāna, japa) is stated in this verse; it functions as narrative framing tied to the tīrtha’s sanctity.