Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

वर्जयंति सदा यानि भयात्तीर्थानि तापसाः । कुमारेशस्य पूर्वं च तीर्थमस्ति मुनेः प्रियम्

Transliteration

varjayaṃti sadā yāni bhayāttīrthāni tāpasāḥ | kumāreśasya pūrvaṃ ca tīrthamasti muneḥ priyam

Translation

ทีรถะทั้งหลายที่เหล่าตบะผู้บำเพ็ญเพียรมักหลีกเลี่ยงอยู่เสมอด้วยความหวาดเกรง มีดังนี้: ทางทิศตะวันออกของกุมาเรศะมีทีรถะหนึ่ง อันเป็นที่รักยิ่งของเหล่ามุนี

Word by Word

• वर्जयन्ति: they avoid
• वर्जयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (always)

• यानि: which (things)
• यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• भयात्: from fear / because of fear
• भयात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन

• तीर्थानि: tīrthas
• तीर्थानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• तापसाः: ascetics
• तापसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तापस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• कुमारेशस्य: of Kumāreśa (Lord Kumāra/Skanda)
• कुमारेशस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; समासः—कुमारस्य ईशः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• पूर्वम्: in front / to the east
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक/क्रमवाचक (before/in front)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• तीर्थम्: a tīrtha
• तीर्थम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अस्ति: is / exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुनेः: of the sage
• मुनेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• प्रियम्: dear / beloved
• प्रियम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण—तीर्थम्

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Unnamed tīrtha east of Kumāreśa (muni-priya)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred precinct near Kumāreśa: to the east lies a secluded tīrtha—shadowed grove, warning signs of awe, yet sages sit peacefully performing japa; the contrast shows ‘fear for the unready, beloved for the wise’.

Characters & Entities

• Kumāreśa
• Tīrtha (east of Kumāreśa)
• Tāpasas (ascetics)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even highly holy places may be approached with discernment; dharma includes knowing when and how to engage sacred sites.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

A tīrtha located to the east of Kumāreśa, described as beloved of sages.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied practice is tīrtha-snānā, though the verse emphasizes avoidance by ascetics due to fear.