Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

शीर्णपर्णाशिनश्चैके फलाहारा महर्षयः । तद्दृष्ट्वा तादृशं क्षेत्रं संयुक्तं विविधैर्गुणैः

Transliteration

śīrṇaparṇāśinaścaike phalāhārā maharṣayaḥ | taddṛṣṭvā tādṛśaṃ kṣetraṃ saṃyuktaṃ vividhairguṇaiḥ

Translation

มหาฤษีบางท่านฉันใบไม้แห้งเหี่ยว บางท่านดำรงด้วยผลไม้เท่านั้น ครั้นได้เห็นเขตศักดิ์สิทธิ์นั้นซึ่งประกอบด้วยคุณความดีนานาประการ (ก็ประจักษ์ถึงความศักดิ์สิทธิ์ยิ่ง)

Word by Word

• शीर्णपर्णाशिनः: eaters of fallen/dry leaves
• शीर्णपर्णाशिनः: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीर्ण + पर्ण + आशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—शीर्ण-पर्ण-आशिन् (तत्पुरुषः: ‘शीर्णानि पर्णानि अश्नन्ति’)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एके: some (of them)
• एके: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-प्रयोग (some)

• फलाहाराः: fruit-eaters
• फलाहाराः: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फल + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—फल-आहार (तत्पुरुषः: ‘फलमेव आहारः’)

• महर्षयः: great sages
• महर्षयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—मह + ऋषि (कर्मधारयः)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘क्षेत्रम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणरूपेण निर्देशः (that)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having seen’

• तादृशम्: such
• तादृशम्: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘क्षेत्रम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• क्षेत्रम्: holy place/field
• क्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• संयुक्तम्: endowed/combined
• संयुक्तम्: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘क्षेत्रम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘गुणैः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• गुणैः: with qualities/virtues
• गुणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) [deduced]

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages gathering leaves and fruits in a sacred grove, then pausing to gaze upon the kṣetra with reverent wonder; the landscape feels charged with auspiciousness.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A true tīrtha is known by its transformative ‘qualities’—it attracts realized sages and supports sattvic living and austerity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The kṣetra being praised belongs to the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra cycle in Adhyāya 179.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sattvic ascetic diets (withered leaves, fruit-only) as supportive disciplines for tapas in a holy place.