Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

अप्सरेश्वरतीर्थं च देहक्षेपे विधिस्ततः । तीर्थं ज्वालेश्वरं नाम ज्वालायाः सङ्गमस्तथा

Transliteration

apsareśvaratīrthaṃ ca dehakṣepe vidhistataḥ | tīrthaṃ jvāleśvaraṃ nāma jvālāyāḥ saṅgamastathā

Translation

అప్సరేశ్వర తీర్థము, తదుపరి దేహక్షేప (అంత్యక్రియ) విధానము; జ్వాలేశ్వరమనే తీర్థము మరియు జ్వాలా నది సంగమమును కూడా వర్ణించెను।

Word by Word

• अप्सरेश्वरतीर्थम्: Apsareśvara-tīrtha (the sacred ford of Apsareśvara)
• अप्सरेश्वरतीर्थम्: Karma/Visheya (Object or item listed/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरेश्वर + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; समासः—अप्सरेश्वरस्य तीर्थम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

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

• देहक्षेपे: at the casting off of the body (at death)
• देहक्षेपे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—देहस्य क्षेपः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• विधिः: rule, procedure
• विधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ततः: thereafter, then
• ततः: Hetu/Anantara (Sequence/अनन्तर)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb)

• तीर्थम्: sacred ford, pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karma/Visheya (Object or item listed/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• ज्वालेश्वरम्: Jvāleśvara (Lord of Jvālā)
• ज्वालेश्वरम्: Karma/Visheya (Object or item listed/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्वालेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; समासः—ज्वालायाः ईश्वरः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Visheshana (Naming marker/संज्ञा-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नाम-शब्दः; संज्ञासूचक-अव्यय (indeclinable indicating name)

• ज्वालायाः: of Jvālā
• ज्वालायाः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्वाला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• सङ्गमः: confluence
• सङ्गमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise, also
• तथा: Samuccaya/Prakara (Also/manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक (adverb: likewise/also)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Revā Khaṇḍa tīrtha-māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Apsareśvara; Jvāleśvara; Jvālā-saṅgama

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience (ṛṣi-saṅgha frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A riverside Śiva shrine labeled Apsareśvara; nearby, a solemn rite scene indicating deha-kṣepa/antyeṣṭi guidance; then a second shrine Jvāleśvara beside a bright, flame-like stream meeting the main river.

Characters & Entities

• Apsareśvara Tīrtha
• Dehakṣepa-vidhi (death/last rites context)
• Jvāleśvara Tīrtha
• Jvālā Saṅgama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places guide the full arc of dharma—from pilgrimage worship to the proper rites at life’s end—under the protection of Śiva-tīrthas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Apsareśvara Tīrtha and Jvāleśvara Tīrtha, along with the Jvālā confluence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A “vidhi” connected with dehakṣepa—procedures/rites associated with death or the relinquishing of the body.