Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

तीर्थलक्षं विदुः पूर्वे कपिलायास्तु सङ्गमे । स्वर्गस्य नरकस्यापि लक्षणं मुनिभाषितम्

Transliteration

tīrthalakṣaṃ viduḥ pūrve kapilāyāstu saṅgame | svargasya narakasyāpi lakṣaṇaṃ munibhāṣitam

Translation

قدیم لوگوں نے کپیلا کے سنگم پر تیرتھ کی پہچان کو جانا۔ اور سُورگ کی—اور نرک کی بھی—علامات منیوں نے بیان کی ہیں۔

Word by Word

• तीर्थ-लक्षम्: the mark/definition of a tīrtha
• तीर्थ-लक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘तीर्थस्य लक्षम्/लक्षणम्’ (mark/definition of tīrtha)

• विदुः: they know
• विदुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘they know’

• पूर्वे: the ancients
• पूर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; नाम (the ancients/former ones)

• कपिलायाः: of Kapilā
• कपिलायाः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of Kapilā)

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

• सङ्गमे: at the confluence
• सङ्गमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (at the confluence)

• स्वर्गस्य: of heaven
• स्वर्गस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of heaven)

• नरकस्य: of hell
• नरकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of hell)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/सम्भावनार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• लक्षणम्: the characteristic
• लक्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; नाम (characteristic/mark)

• मुनि-भाषितम्: spoken by sages
• मुनि-भाषितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + भाषित (कृदन्त; √भाष्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘मुनिभिः भाषितम्’ (spoken by sages)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced for Āvantya/Revā narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapilā-saṅgama (tīrtha-lakṣaṇa teaching spot)

Type: sangam

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: munis (as the speaking authority referenced) and pilgrims (implied audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Kapilā-saṅgama, seated sages teach a circle of pilgrims; behind them the confluence glows; in the sky or as side-panels appear symbolic ‘svarga’ (light, ascent, devas) and ‘naraka’ (darkness, chains) as moral allegories rather than graphic torture.

Characters & Entities

• Kapilā-saṅgama
• Munis (sages)
• Svarga
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A true tīrtha is not only a location but a dharmic ‘crossing’—a place where right understanding and conduct lead toward higher states (svarga) and away from downfall (naraka).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kapilā confluence (Kapilā-saṅgama) is highlighted as a paradigmatic setting for understanding what makes a place a tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the verse signals doctrinal teaching about tīrtha, svarga, and naraka.