Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

तेषु सर्वेषु मर्त्येन यथोक्तविधिना स्फुटम् । देवतायतनान्येव तथा द्रष्टुं महा मते

Transliteration

teṣu sarveṣu martyena yathoktavidhinā sphuṭam | devatāyatanānyeva tathā draṣṭuṃ mahā mate

Translation

హే మహామతీ, వాటన్నిటిలో ఒక మానవుడు యథోక్త విధానంతో స్పష్టంగా ఆచరించడం, అలాగే దేవతల ఆయతనాలను దర్శించడం కూడా (అత్యంత కష్టం).

Word by Word

• तेषु: among/in those
• तेषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• मर्त्येन: by a mortal
• मर्त्येन: Karana (Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• यथोक्तविधिना: by the prescribed procedure
• यथोक्तविधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यथा + उक्त + विधि (प्रातिपदिक); यथोक्तः विधिः
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करणत्वेन

• स्फुटम्: clearly, distinctly
• स्फुटम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्फुटम् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-नपुंसक)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb)

• देवतायतनानि: shrines of deities
• देवतायतनानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता + आयतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक

• द्रष्टुम्: to see
• द्रष्टुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive)

• महा: O great
• महा: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; ‘मते’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• मते: O wise one
• मते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; ‘मतिमान्’ इत्यर्थे

Speaker

Ṛṣayaḥ (continuing; addressing Sūta as mahā-mate)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (aggregate āyatanas)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sūta-putra (Sauti)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims attempt multiple rites—bathing, offering, circumambulation—moving from shrine to shrine; some appear weary, while a guide-priest points to a main temple, suggesting prioritization; the sages’ words overlay the scene as a compassionate acknowledgment of limits.

Characters & Entities

• Devatā-yatanāni (temples/abodes of deities)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right method (vidhi) and reverent darśana matter, yet human limitation is acknowledged—devotion must be realistic and sincere.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the praise of Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra as containing many deity-abodes and tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Following yathokta-vidhi (the stated procedure) for tīrtha practice, along with darśana of temples, is referenced.