Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

पीलुकर्णिकसंज्ञं तु तीर्थमन्यत्पुनस्ततः । सरस्वतीतीरगतमृषिणा सेवितं महत्

Transliteration

pīlukarṇikasaṃjñaṃ tu tīrthamanyatpunastataḥ | sarasvatītīragatamṛṣiṇā sevitaṃ mahat

Translation

Mula roon, may isa pang tīrtha na tinatawag na Pīlukarṇikā—dakila at pinupuntahan ng isang ṛṣi, na nasa pampang ng Sarasvatī.

Word by Word

• पीलुकर्णिकसंज्ञम्: named ‘Pīlukarṇikā’
• पीलुकर्णिकसंज्ञम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीलुकर्णिका-संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक; पीलुकर्णिका + संज्ञ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘पीलुकर्णिका-नामकं’ (neuter sg qualifying तीर्थम्)

• तु: and/but (emphatic)
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• तीर्थम्: sacred place
• तीर्थम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Nom/Acc singular)

• अन्यत्: another
• अन्यत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter sg qualifying तीर्थम्)

• पुनः: again, further
• पुनः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: again/further)

• ततः: from there, thereafter
• ततः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय/तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अपादान/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (ablatival adverb: from there/thereafter)

• सरस्वतीतीरगतम्: gone to/located at the bank of Sarasvatī
• सरस्वतीतीरगतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सरस्वती-तीर-गत (प्रातिपदिक; सरस्वती + तीर + गत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘सरस्वतीतीरे गतं/स्थितम्’ (neuter sg qualifying महत्/तीर्थम्)

• ऋषिणा: by a sage
• ऋषिणा: Karana (Instrument/Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• सेवितम्: served, frequented
• सेवितम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘सेवितम्’ (Past passive participle)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter sg; ‘great’)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pīlukarṇikā

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tranquil Sarasvatī bank with pīlu trees; a small water-spot/karṇikā (lotus-like pool) beside the river; a sage seated in meditation, indicating ‘ṛṣi-sevita’ greatness.

Characters & Entities

• Pīlukarṇikā Tīrtha
• Sarasvatī River
• Ṛṣi (unnamed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The greatness of a tīrtha is affirmed by its continuous use by ṛṣis, making it a living locus of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Pīlukarṇikā Tīrtha on the Sarasvatī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicit; the verse emphasizes the tīrtha’s location and its being frequented by a sage.