Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

भूलोके यानि तीर्थानि गंगादीनि द्विजोत्तमाः । चक्रतीर्थस्य तान्यद्धा कलां नार्हंति षोडशीम्

Transliteration

bhūloke yāni tīrthāni gaṃgādīni dvijottamāḥ | cakratīrthasya tānyaddhā kalāṃ nārhaṃti ṣoḍaśīm

Translation

โอ้ทวิชผู้ประเสริฐ บรรดาตีรถะทั้งหลายบนโลกมนุษย์ เริ่มแต่คงคาคือคงคาแท้จริงแล้ว ยังไม่อาจเทียบได้แม้เพียงหนึ่งในสิบหกส่วนแห่งมหิมาของจักรตีรถะ

Word by Word

• भूलोके: in the earthly world
• भूलोके: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भूः लोकः)

• यानि: which
• यानि: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• तीर्थानि: pilgrimage places
• तीर्थानि: Karta (Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• गंगादीनि: beginning with the Gaṅgā (etc.)
• गंगादीनि: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (गङ्गा-आदि = beginning with Gaṅgā); विशेषणम् (qualifying तीर्थानि)

• द्विजोत्तमाः: O best of Brahmins
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Sambodhyāḥ/Śrotā (Addressed group)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (उत्तमाः द्विजाः)

• चक्रतीर्थस्य: of Cakra-tīrtha
• चक्रतीर्थस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; संकेत-सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• अद्धा: certainly
• अद्धा: Avadhāraṇa (certainty)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्धा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: certainly/clearly)

• कलाम्: a part/fraction
• कलाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (negation particle)

• अर्हन्ति: are worthy/amount to
• अर्हन्ति: Kriyā (Predicate action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• षोडशीम्: sixteenth
• षोडशीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying कलाम्)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Cakratīrtha

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijottamas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic map-like tableau: Gaṅgā and other famous rivers/tīrthas personified stand respectfully while Cakratīrtha shines at center with a radiant cakra emblem; a ‘one-sixteenth’ moon-fraction motif illustrates the comparison.

Characters & Entities

• Cakratīrtha
• Gaṅgā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa uses hyperbolic comparison to concentrate devotion on a chosen kṣetra, teaching focused pilgrimage and faith.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Cakratīrtha, proclaimed superior even to famed tīrthas such as the Gaṅgā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the verse provides a comparative māhātmya to inspire pilgrimage and reverence toward Cakratīrtha.