Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

तत्तीर्थसेवनान्नान्योमोक्षो पायो लघुस्तव । न हि तत्तीर्थवैशिष्ट्यं वक्तुं शक्यं मयापि च

Transliteration

tattīrthasevanānnānyomokṣo pāyo laghustava | na hi tattīrthavaiśiṣṭyaṃ vaktuṃ śakyaṃ mayāpi ca

Translation

สำหรับเจ้า ไม่มีอุบายสู่โมกษะที่ง่ายไปกว่าการบำเพ็ญและรับใช้ตีรถะนั้นเอง จริงแท้ แม้เราก็มิอาจพรรณนาคุณวิเศษอันเป็นเอกของสถานศักดิ์สิทธิ์นั้นได้ทั้งหมด

Word by Word

• तत्-तीर्थ-सेवनात्: from serving that tīrtha
• तत्-तीर्थ-सेवनात्: Apadana (Source/Reason/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् + तीर्थ + सेवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negative particle)

• अन्यः: other
• अन्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (mokṣaḥ)

• मोक्षः: liberation
• मोक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उपायः: means
• उपायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (पाठे ‘पायो’ इति सन्धि/लिप्यन्तर-दोषसम्भवः)

• लघुः: easy
• लघुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लघु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (upāyaḥ)

• तव: for you / of you
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negative particle)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• तत्-तीर्थ-वैशिष्ट्यम्: the special excellence of that tīrtha
• तत्-तीर्थ-वैशिष्ट्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् + तीर्थ + वैशिष्ट्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वक्तुम्: to speak
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Infinitive)

• शक्यम्: possible
• शक्यम्: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; शक् धातोः)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartṛ (Agent-instrumental/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक निपात (also/even)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu mahātīrtha (near Maṅgala; at/near Gandhamādana)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kumbhaja-anuja (Agastya’s younger brother)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Īśvara’s expression turns profoundly serene as he declares the tīrtha’s uniqueness beyond words; the rishi listens in awe. The landscape subtly glows—suggesting an unseen potency emanating from the sacred spot.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Setu tīrtha (the indicated mahātīrtha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humble service and reverent approach to a tīrtha is itself a swift path to liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The previously indicated Setu mahātīrtha near Gandhamādana, presented as exceptionally efficacious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tīrtha-sevā—regular attendance, worshipful service, and observance at the sacred ford (with snāna implied from context).