Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

आश्चर्यवंतस्तत्रत्या यात्रायां मिलिता जनाः । ऊचुरंगुलिनिर्देशैरहो पश्यत पश्यत

Transliteration

āścaryavaṃtastatratyā yātrāyāṃ militā janāḥ | ūcuraṃgulinirdeśairaho paśyata paśyata

Translation

అక్కడ యాత్రలో కూడిన జనులు ఆశ్చర్యపడుతూ వేళ్లతో చూపించి—“అహో! చూడండి, చూడండి!” అని పలికిరి।

Word by Word

• āścaryavantaḥ: astonished
• āścaryavantaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āścarya + vat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘आश्चर्ययुक्त’

• tatratyāḥ: those who were there
• tatratyāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tatratya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘तत्र भव’ (those present there)

• yātrāyām: in the procession/pilgrimage
• yātrāyām: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yātrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• militāḥ: assembled
• militāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mil (धातु) + ta (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘assembled’

• janāḥ: people
• janāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमा-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘they said’

• aṅguli-nirdeśaiḥ: with finger-pointing/gestures
• aṅguli-nirdeśaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅguli + nirdeśa (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; ‘अङ्गुल्या निर्देशः’ इति तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः; instrumental plural

• aho: ah! behold!
• aho: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aho (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विस्मयादिबोधक (interjection)

• paśyata: look!
• paśyata: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: paś (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘see!’

• paśyata: look! (again)
• paśyata: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: paś (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśī-khaṇḍa context: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Haṃsatīrtha (kuṇḍa)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya (addressed in adjacent verse) / general audience of sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A crowd of pilgrims—men and women, ascetics and householders—clustered at the pond’s edge, eyes wide, arms extended, fingers pointing toward the miraculous swans.

Characters & Entities

• Yātrā (pilgrimage assembly)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha’s glory becomes evident through visible signs, strengthening faith (śraddhā) among pilgrims.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same kuṇḍa that is about to be identified as Haṃsatīrtha near Kṛttivāsa in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it depicts pilgrims witnessing a miracle during yātrā.