Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच । साधु साधु महाप्राज्ञ विरक्तस्त्वं युधिष्ठिर । गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं तीर्थं निर्मितं चक्रिणा स्वयम्

Transliteration

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca | sādhu sādhu mahāprājña viraktastvaṃ yudhiṣṭhira | guhyādguhyataraṃ tīrthaṃ nirmitaṃ cakriṇā svayam

Translation

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya nói: “Lành thay, lành thay! Hỡi Yudhiṣṭhira đại trí, lòng ngươi đã lìa tham trước. Tīrtha này kín nhiệm hơn mọi điều kín nhiệm, do chính Đấng cầm Luân (Chakra) tự tay kiến lập.”

Word by Word

• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya
• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• साधु: well done / good
• साधु: Sambandha/Prayojana (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रशंसार्थक-निपात (particle of approval)

• साधु: indeed, well
• साधु: Sambandha/Prayojana (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

• महाप्राज्ञ: O greatly wise one
• महाप्राज्ञ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाप्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग; समासः कर्मधारय (महान् प्राज्ञः)

• विरक्तः: detached, dispassionate
• विरक्तः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरक्त (कृदन्त; वि+रञ्ज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग

• गुह्यात्: than (what is) secret
• गुह्यात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (contextual), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; तुलना-प्रयोग (than secret)

• गुह्यतरम्: more secret
• गुह्यतरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्यतर (प्रातिपदिक; तरप्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative)

• तीर्थम्: a sacred ford/pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निर्मितम्: made, constructed
• निर्मितम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (Object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मित (कृदन्त; नि+मा)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• चक्रिणा: by the discus-bearer (Viṣṇu)
• चक्रिणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• स्वयम्: by himself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मनः-प्रयोग (reflexive adverb: oneself)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Unnamed ‘guhyatama’ Revā-tīrtha established by Cakrī (Viṣṇu)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Forest-āśrama setting: sage Mārkaṇḍeya addressing Yudhiṣṭhira, indicating a hidden Viṣṇu-established tīrtha; aura of secrecy and sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Cakrin (Viṣṇu)
• Cakratīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Detachment and right inquiry open access to deeper dharma; some tīrthas are praised as ‘guhya’—known through tradition and worthy questioning.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Cakratīrtha (the tīrtha associated with the discus-bearing Viṣṇu) in the Revā region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse authorizes the sanctity of the place by stating it was established by Viṣṇu himself.