Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

प्रभावस्तीर्थमुख्यानां तदा पुण्यतमोऽभवत् । सत्ये धर्मे चाध्ययने यज्ञे दाने तपस्यपि

Transliteration

prabhāvastīrthamukhyānāṃ tadā puṇyatamo'bhavat | satye dharme cādhyayane yajñe dāne tapasyapi

Translation

那时，诸最胜圣地（tīrtha）的威德成为至上功德；同样，在真实、在法（dharma）、在研习、在祭祀（yajña）、在布施、乃至在苦行（tapas）之中，福德皆大大增长。

Word by Word

• प्रभावः: power, glory, efficacy
• प्रभावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तीर्थमुख्यानाम्: of the foremost tīrthas
• तीर्थमुख्यानाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः—‘तीर्थेषु मुख्याः’ (chief among pilgrim-places)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• पुण्यतमः: most meritorious
• पुण्यतमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तमत्-प्रत्ययान्त (superlative)

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सत्ये: in truth
• सत्ये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• धर्मे: in dharma/righteousness
• धर्मे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

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

• अध्ययने: in study/recitation
• अध्ययने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्ययन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• यज्ञे: in sacrifice
• यज्ञे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• दाने: in giving/charity
• दाने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• तपसि: in austerity
• तपसि: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tīrtha-mukhya (collective: foremost sacred places)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic panorama of India’s foremost tīrthas glowing with intensified radiance; alongside, vignettes of satya-speaking devotees, students reciting, priests offering yajña, donors giving, and ascetics in tapas—each surrounded by a halo of increased puṇya.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma-practices and tīrtha-sevā become especially fruitful when aligned with divine auspicious time and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse praises the efficacy of the ‘foremost tīrthas’ in general, without naming one location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It commends core dharmic observances—satya, adhyayana, yajña, dāna, and tapas—as sources of increased merit.