Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

इति ज्ञात्वा महाराज सर्वतीर्थेषु चोत्तमम् । पित्ःन्देवान् समभ्यर्च्य स्नानदानादिपूजनैः

Transliteration

iti jñātvā mahārāja sarvatīrtheṣu cottamam | pitḥndevān samabhyarcya snānadānādipūjanaiḥ

Translation

یہ جان کر، اے مہاراج، کہ یہ سب تیرتھوں میں افضل ہے، وہاں پِتروں اور دیوتاؤں کی سْنان، دان اور دیگر پوجا کے اعمال کے ذریعے باقاعدہ ارچنا کرنی چاہیے۔

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक/समाप्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative/iti)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriya (Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having known)

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समासः—महान् राजा (कर्मधारय)

• सर्वतीर्थेषु: among all sacred fords
• सर्वतीर्थेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वतीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; समासः—सर्वाणि तीर्थानि (कर्मधारय)

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

• उत्तमम्: the best
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (superlative sense)

• पितॄन्: the ancestors
• पितॄन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• समभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• समभ्यर्च्य: Kriya (Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अभि + अर्च् (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having duly worshipped)

• स्नानदानादिपूजनैः: by worship-offerings such as bathing and giving gifts
• स्नानदानादिपूजनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान + दान + आदि + पूजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करणवाचक; समासः—स्नानं दानं आदिः येषां तैः पूजनैः (समाहार/तत्पुरुष-प्राय)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced; addressing a king within the narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Māṇḍaveśvara / Māṇḍavya-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahārāja (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king and pilgrims at a riverbank/kuṇḍa near Māṇḍaveśvara: some bathing, some offering tarpaṇa with cupped hands, others giving dāna; the shrine visible with lamps and bilva offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Devas
• Tīrtha (Devakhāta/Māṇḍaveśvara context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True tīrtha-benefit is completed by dhārmic action—honoring gods and ancestors through purity, charity, and worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediately discussed supreme tīrtha in the passage—Devakhāta/Māṇḍaveśvara region in Reva Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (sacred bathing), dāna (charity), and pūjā/arcana directed to Pitṛs and Devas.