Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

अत एतानि वर्ज्यंते तीर्थानि कुरुनंदन । इति श्रुत्वा महाबाहुर्गमनाय मनो दधे

Transliteration

ata etāni varjyaṃte tīrthāni kurunaṃdana | iti śrutvā mahābāhurgamanāya mano dadhe

Translation

“Vì thế các thánh địa (tīrtha) ấy bị tránh xa, hỡi niềm vui của dòng Kuru.” Nghe vậy, bậc dũng sĩ tay mạnh liền quyết trong lòng sẽ lên đường đến đó.

Word by Word

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/सम्बन्धबोधक), अर्थे—‘अतः/तस्मात्’ (therefore)

• etāni: these
• etāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (these)

• varjyante: are avoided
• varjyante: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛj (वृज्/वर्ज्) (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (are avoided)

• tīrthāni: pilgrimage places
• tīrthāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (तीर्थ) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• kuru-nandana: O delight of the Kurus
• kuru-nandana: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuru (कुरु) + nandana (नन्दन) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कुरूणां नन्दनः)

• iti: thus
• iti: Vacana-sūcaka (Quotation marker/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक)

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त), ‘श्रुत्वा’ = having heard

• mahā-bāhuḥ: the mighty-armed one
• mahā-bāhuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (महा) + bāhu (बाहु) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् बाहुः यस्य)

• gamanāya: for departure
• gamanāya: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान-अर्थे चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gamana (गमन) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन (purpose: for going)

• manaḥ: mind
• manaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (मनस्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• dadhe: he set/placed
• dadhe: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhā (धा) (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘दधे’ = placed/settled (set his mind)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A band of ascetics gestures toward a dangerous river-tīrtha while a mighty-armed kṣatriya (Arjuna) stands poised, bow at his side, eyes fixed ahead—decision crystallizing at the edge of wilderness waters.

Characters & Entities

• Kurunandana (Arjuna/Phālguna)
• Five tīrthas
• Tāpasas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When guided by dharma, courage becomes a spiritual instrument—approaching sacred places despite fear can be an act of faith and duty.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The same five southern-ocean tīrthas, now framed as sites that test resolve.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The intention to proceed for tīrtha engagement (implied snāna) is stated; no additional rite is specified.