Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

तीर्थत्रयेषु स्नानार्थं कर्तव्यं निश्चिकाय वै । अप्रसह्यमनाधृष्यं विद्यते मे तपोबलम्

Transliteration

tīrthatrayeṣu snānārthaṃ kartavyaṃ niścikāya vai | aprasahyamanādhṛṣyaṃ vidyate me tapobalam

Translation

เขาตั้งปณิธานมั่นคงว่า “เพื่อการอาบน้ำชำระในตรีตถะทั้งสาม จำต้องกระทำให้ได้ ในกายเรามีตโปพล—ยากต้านทานและมิอาจล่วงละเมิด”

Word by Word

• तीर्थत्रयेषु: in the three sacred fords
• तीर्थत्रयेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तीर्थाणां त्रयम्)

• स्नानार्थम्: for bathing
• स्नानार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्नान + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; अव्यय (purpose-adverb)

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done / obligatory
• कर्तव्यम्: Vidhi/Predicate (Obligation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत्
• Form: कृ-धातोः तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (obligatory)

• निश्चिकाय: he decided
• निश्चिकाय: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निश्चि (धातु; नि + √चि/चिन्त् ‘to decide’)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• अप्रसह्यम्: irresistible
• अप्रसह्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + प्रसह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (negation)

• अनाधृष्यम्: unassailable
• अनाधृष्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + नाधृष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (negation)

• विद्यते: exists
• विद्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु; √विद् ‘to be/ exist’ आत्मनेपद)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मे: my
• मे: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तपोबलम्: power of austerity
• तपोबलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तपसः बलम्)

Speaker

Narrator quoting Sayugvā Muni

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tīrtha-traya (invoked triple tīrtha) within Setukṣetra context

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A resolute sage (Sayugvā) stands near a sacred shore/altar, eyes steady, declaring his intent to bathe in three tīrthas; aura of tapas radiates like heat-haze.

Characters & Entities

• Sayugvā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas is portrayed as a spiritual force that can accomplish dharmic aims beyond physical constraints.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The “three tīrthas” to be accessed together—Yamunā, Gaṅgā, and Gayā—whose sanctity is about to manifest locally.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A clear intent: to perform snāna connected with the three revered tīrthas.