Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

तडागे दश पिंडांश्च उद्धृत्य स्नानमाचरेत् । नदीस्नानं विश्ष्टं च महानद्यां विशेषतः

Transliteration

taḍāge daśa piṃḍāṃśca uddhṛtya snānamācaret | nadīsnānaṃ viśṣṭaṃ ca mahānadyāṃ viśeṣataḥ

Translation

ในสระน้ำ พึงชักน้ำขึ้นมาสิบปิณฑะ (สิบมาตรา) แล้วกระทำการอาบน้ำ การอาบในแม่น้ำนั้นประเสริฐ และยิ่งประเสริฐเป็นพิเศษในมหานที

Word by Word

• तडागे: in a pond
• तडागे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तडाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular)

• दश: ten
• दश: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याशब्दः; पिंडान् इति पदस्य विशेषणम् (numeral used adjectivally)

• पिण्डान्: piṇḍas
• पिण्डान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Accusative plural)

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

• उद्धृत्य: having taken out
• उद्धृत्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद्+हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• आचरेत्: should perform
• आचरेत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (should practice/perform)

• नदीस्नानम्: river-bathing
• नदीस्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nom./Acc. singular); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नद्याः स्नानम्)

• विशिष्टम्: excellent/superior
• विशिष्टम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशिष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वि+शिष्/शास्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (distinguished/superior)

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

• महानद्याम्: in a great river
• महानद्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (उपसर्गवत्-प्रातिपदिक) + नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular); समासः—कर्मधारयः (महती नदी)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sequence-like depiction: devotee drawing water at a pond, then moving to a flowing river, culminating at a majestic great river—each step brighter and more expansive.

Characters & Entities

• Taḍāga (pond)
• Nadī (river)
• Mahānadī (great river)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purification is graded: moving waters, especially great rivers, are portrayed as especially sanctifying.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Great rivers as tīrthas are praised in principle, preparing for the special status of Gaṅgā in the next verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

For pond bathing, draw up ten measures of water; river bathing is declared superior, especially in a great river.