Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 170

Devanagari script

तीर्थस्नानैः सोपवासैर्व्रतैश्च पात्रे दानैर्होमजप्यैश्चयज्ञैः । भवार्चनैर्देवपूजाविशेषैरात्मा नित्यं शोधनीयो मलाक्तः

Transliteration

tīrthasnānaiḥ sopavāsairvrataiśca pātre dānairhomajapyaiścayajñaiḥ | bhavārcanairdevapūjāviśeṣairātmā nityaṃ śodhanīyo malāktaḥ

Translation

ด้วยการอาบน้ำ ณ ตีรถะอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ด้วยการถืออุโบสถและวรตะ ด้วยทานแก่ผู้ควรรับ ด้วยโหมะ ชปะ และยัญญะ ด้วยการบูชาพวะ (พระศิวะ) และพิธีบูชาเทพเป็นพิเศษ—ดังนี้แล อาตมันที่เปื้อนมลทินพึงชำระให้บริสุทธิ์เป็นนิตย์

Word by Word

• tīrtha-snānaiḥ: by baths at sacred places
• tīrtha-snānaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha + snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘pilgrimage-bath’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• sa-upavāsaiḥ: with fasts
• sa-upavāsaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (अव्यय) + upavāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (sa- ‘with’ + upavāsa), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• vrataiḥ: by vows
• vrataiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (and)

• pātre: to a worthy recipient
• pātre: Adhikaraṇa (Locative circumstance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; ‘in/for a worthy recipient’ (contextual)

• dānaiḥ: by gifts
• dānaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• homa-japyaiḥ: by oblations and recitations
• homa-japyaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: homa + japya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (homa + japya), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• yajñaiḥ: by sacrifices
• yajñaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• bhava-arcanair: by worship of Bhava (Śiva)
• bhava-arcanair: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhava + arcana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘worship of Bhava/Śiva’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• deva-pūjā-viśeṣaiḥ: by special forms of deity-worship
• deva-pūjā-viśeṣaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva + pūjā + viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (श्रृङ्खला: deva-pūjā as tatpuruṣa + viśeṣa), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ātmā: the self
• ātmā: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (always)

• śodhanīyaḥ: should be purified
• śodhanīyaḥ: Kriyā (Predicate; injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śudh (धातु) + अनीयर्
• Form: अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘to be purified’

• mala-āktaḥ: smeared with impurity
• mala-āktaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mala + ākta (प्रातिपदिक; √añj + क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय: ‘smeared with impurity’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण of ātmā

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Generic tīrtha (not specified in verse)

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A composite devotional tableau: pilgrims bathing at a river ford; a fasting devotee with simple meal set aside; charity given to a worthy brāhmaṇa; a small homa fire; a devotee counting japa beads; and central Śiva (Bhava) worship with bilva leaves and lamp—showing daily purification as a cycle.

Characters & Entities

• Bhava (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Regular purification is achieved through tīrtha-bathing, vows, charity, mantra, sacrifice, and devoted Śiva-worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Tīrthas in general are praised; no single location is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tīrtha snāna, fasting, vrata, dāna to worthy recipients, homa, japa, yajña, and Bhava/Śiva worship as means of purification.