Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 96

Devanagari script

मच्छकेश्वरतीर्थं च शिखितीर्थं च शोभनम् । कोटितीर्थं मुनिश्रेष्ठास्तत्र कोटीश्वरी मृडा

Transliteration

macchakeśvaratīrthaṃ ca śikhitīrthaṃ ca śobhanam | koṭitīrthaṃ muniśreṣṭhāstatra koṭīśvarī mṛḍā

Translation

ที่นั่นมีมัจฉเกศวรตีรถะ และศิขีตีรถะอันงดงาม; อีกทั้งโกฏีตีรถะ—โอ้บรรดามุนีผู้ประเสริฐ ที่นั่นพระเทวีโกฏีศวรี มฤฑา ผู้เปี่ยมเมตตาประทับอยู่

Word by Word

• मच्छकेश्वरतीर्थम्: Macchakeśvara-tirtha
• मच्छकेश्वरतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मच्छकेश्वरतीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; मच्छकेश्वर + तीर्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मच्छकेश्वरस्य तीर्थम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• शिखितीर्थम्: Śikhi-tirtha
• शिखितीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखितीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; शिखि + तीर्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शिखिनः तीर्थम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• शोभनम्: beautiful, auspicious
• शोभनम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (शिखितीर्थम्/तीर्थम्)

• कोटितीर्थम्: Koṭi-tirtha
• कोटितीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटितीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; कोटि + तीर्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कोट्याः/कोटीनां तीर्थम्)

• मुनिश्रेष्ठाः: O best of sages
• मुनिश्रेष्ठाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनिश्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; मुनि + श्रेष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (श्रेष्ठा मुनयः)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: 'there')

• कोटीश्वरी: Koṭīśvarī (goddess)
• कोटीश्वरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटीश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक; कोटि + ईश्वरी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कोट्याः ईश्वरी)

• मृडा: Mṛḍā (the gracious goddess)
• मृडा: Apposition (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृडा (प्रातिपदिक; मृड)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शिवपत्नी/देवी-नाम

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced for Āvantya/Revā narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Macchakeśvara-tīrtha; Śikhi-tīrtha; Koṭi-tīrtha (Koṭīśvarī present)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three riverbank stations: Macchakeśvara (Shiva shrine with fish motif near water), Śikhi-tīrtha (peacock imagery, iridescent feathers), and Koṭi-tīrtha where Koṭīśvarī Devī manifests—radiant, compassionate, seated near a thousand lamps reflected in the river.

Characters & Entities

• Macchakeśvara-tīrtha
• Śikhi-tīrtha
• Koṭi-tīrtha
• Koṭīśvarī
• Mṛḍā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is not only to rivers and fords but also to living centers of Śakti—where the Goddess is specially said to abide.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Macchakeśvara-tīrtha, Śikhi-tīrtha, and Koṭi-tīrtha are named, with Koṭīśvarī highlighted as presiding there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription is stated; the verse emphasizes sanctity and divine presence.