Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

सर्वतीर्थान्तरस्थानं तथार्णवमहीजले । सर्वभूतमयो यद्वत्र्यंबकः परिकीर्त्यते

Transliteration

sarvatīrthāntarasthānaṃ tathārṇavamahījale | sarvabhūtamayo yadvatryaṃbakaḥ parikīrtyate

Translation

அதேபோல் கடலும் பூமியும் ஆகிய நீரில் எல்லாத் தீர்த்தங்களின் உறைவிடம் உள்ளது; திரியம்பகன் (சிவன்) எல்லா உயிர்களாலும் ஆனவன் எனப் போற்றப்படுவது போல।

Word by Word

• sarva-tīrtha-antara-sthānam: the abode within all sacred fords
• sarva-tīrtha-antara-sthānam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक) + sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः: सर्वेषां तीर्थानाम् अन्तरस्थं स्थानम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (so/likewise)

• arṇava-mahī-jale: in the water of ocean and earth
• arṇava-mahī-jale: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arṇava (प्रातिपदिक) + mahī (प्रातिपदिक) + jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः: अर्णवस्य मह्याः च जलम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; द्वन्द्व-भावार्थक समुच्चय)

• sarva-bhūta-mayaḥ: consisting of all beings
• sarva-bhūta-mayaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः: सर्वैः भूतैः मयः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/बहुव्रीह्यर्थसन्निकर्ष)

• yadvat: just as
• yadvat: Sambandha (Comparison/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadvat (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (just as/in the same way)

• tryaṃbakaḥ: Tryambaka (Śiva)
• tryaṃbakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tryaṃbaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• parikīrtyate: is proclaimed
• parikīrtyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kīrt (धातु) + pari- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (is proclaimed)

Speaker

Śakra (Indra) and the Devas (within Sūta’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahī–Sāgara Saṅgama (implied as the focal ‘all-tīrtha’ water)

Type: sangam

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast confluence scene dissolves into a cosmic vision: countless tīrthas symbolically flowing into one body of water; above, Tryambaka appears as a serene, all-pervading presence with beings emerging as facets of his form.

Characters & Entities

• Tryambaka (Śiva)
• Ocean (Arṇava)
• Earth-waters
• Sarvatīrtha concept

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine is all-pervading: as Śiva is ‘made of all beings,’ sacred waters can symbolically gather the merit of all tīrthas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse glorifies sacred waters in a universal sense (ocean-and-earth waters) and the sarva-tīrtha principle, within the Mahī-bank narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It supports abhiṣeka using sanctified waters understood to contain the potency of all tīrthas.