Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

यत्र स्नातः पुरा सद्यस्त्रिशंकुः पृथिवीपतिः । दिव्यं वपुः पुनः प्राप्त श्चंडालत्वेन संस्थितः

Transliteration

yatra snātaḥ purā sadyastriśaṃkuḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ | divyaṃ vapuḥ punaḥ prāpta ścaṃḍālatvena saṃsthitaḥ

Translation

“ณ สถานที่นั้น กาลก่อน พระราชาตริศังกุ ผู้ครองแผ่นดิน ได้สรงน้ำ และแม้ดำรงอยู่ในภาวะจัณฑาล ก็พลันได้กายทิพย์กลับคืนมา”

Word by Word

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (relative locative adverb)

• स्नातः: bathed
• स्नातः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि-भाव (having bathed)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (time adverb)

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: Kala-adhikarana (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (immediacy adverb)

• त्रिशङ्कुः: Triśaṅku
• त्रिशङ्कुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिशङ्कु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• पृथिवीपतिः: king (lord of the earth)
• पृथिवीपतिः: Apposition (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• वपुः: body/form
• वपुः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्तिवाचक (adverb)

• प्राप्तः: obtained
• प्राप्तः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि-भाव (attained)

• चण्डालत्वेन: in the state of being a caṇḍāla
• चण्डालत्वेन: Hetu/Prakara (Condition/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डालत्व (प्रातिपदिक; -त्व तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; अवस्थावाचक (state/condition)

• संस्थितः: being situated/remaining
• संस्थितः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣayaḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Triśaṅku, depicted as a king in distress with signs of outcaste condition, steps into the sacred water; instantly his body becomes radiant and divine, while attendants and sages witness the miracle.

Characters & Entities

• Triśaṅku
• pṛthivīpati (king)
• caṇḍāla
• snāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha’s purifying power is presented as transcending fallen condition and stigma, restoring dignity through sacred contact and merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Adhyāya 23 tīrtha where Triśaṅku’s immediate transformation is cited as proof of its exceptional sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (bathing) at the tīrtha, emphasized as producing immediate auspicious results.