Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

त्रीण्येव मोक्षतीर्थानि त्रयो वै विमलेश्वराः । सहस्रयज्ञतीर्थानि त्रीण्येव मुनिरब्रवीत्

Transliteration

trīṇyeva mokṣatīrthāni trayo vai vimaleśvarāḥ | sahasrayajñatīrthāni trīṇyeva munirabravīt

Translation

ฤๅษีกล่าวว่า: ตีรถะอันเลื่องชื่อว่าประทานโมกษะมีเพียงสาม; และวิมเลศวรก็มีสามเช่นกัน อีกทั้งท่านประกาศว่าตีรถะชื่อสหัสรยัชญะ ‘พันพิธีบูชา’ มีอยู่สามเท่านั้น

Word by Word

• त्रीणि: three
• त्रीणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषणम् (मोक्षतीर्थानि इति विशेष्यस्य)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• मोक्षतीर्थानि: liberation-tīrthas
• मोक्षतीर्थानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मोक्षस्य तीर्थानि)

• त्रयः: three
• त्रयः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषणम् (विमलेश्वराः इति विशेष्यस्य)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• विमलेश्वराः: Vimaleśvaras
• विमलेश्वराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमल + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषभावः (विमलः ईश्वरः/विमलस्य ईश्वरः) नामरूपेण

• सहस्रयज्ञतीर्थानि: Sahasrayajña-tīrthas
• सहस्रयज्ञतीर्थानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र + यज्ञ + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (सहस्रयज्ञस्य तीर्थानि)

• त्रीणि: three
• त्रीणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषणम् (सहस्रयज्ञतीर्थानि इति विशेष्यस्य)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• मुनिः: the sage
• मुनिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said/declared
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

A sage (muni), per the adhyāya’s narrative enumeration

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mokṣa-tīrtha (3), Vimaleśvara (3), Sahasra-yajña tīrtha (3)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: munis / seekers addressed in the narrative

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three luminous ghats labeled Mokṣa-tīrtha with ascetics meditating; three Vimaleśvara liṅgas shining white; three Sahasra-yajña sites depicted with miniature fire-altars and offerings, all along the serene river.

Characters & Entities

• Mokṣatīrtha
• Vimaleśvara
• Sahasrayajñatīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liberation is linked to sacred places where Śiva is worshipped; the Purāṇa maps mokṣa not only as philosophy but as lived pilgrimage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The triads of Mokṣatīrtha, Vimaleśvara, and Sahasrayajña tīrthas within the Revā Khaṇḍa landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; mokṣa-tīrtha naming implies intensified practices such as snāna, japa, and Śiva-pūjā customary at such sites.