Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

पुत्रवाञ्जायते वन्ध्यो यात्रां कृत्वा न संशयः । नारीभिर्वा नरैर्वापि कर्त्तव्यं स्नानमादरात्

Transliteration

putravāñjāyate vandhyo yātrāṃ kṛtvā na saṃśayaḥ | nārībhirvā narairvāpi karttavyaṃ snānamādarāt

Translation

不孕者若行此圣地朝圣，必得赐子之福——毫无疑虑。无论女子或男子，都应在彼处以恭敬之心沐浴。

Word by Word

• पुत्रवान्: having a son; blessed with a son
• पुत्रवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (masculine nominative singular adjective)

• जायते: is born/becomes
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (3rd person singular, present, middle)

• वन्ध्यः: a barren person (one without offspring)
• वन्ध्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन्ध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृपद (masculine nominative singular)

• यात्राम्: pilgrimage
• यात्राम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (feminine accusative singular)

• कृत्वा: having done; after performing
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• न: no; not
• न: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine nominative singular)

• नारीभिः: by women
• नारीभिः: Karana (Instrument/कर्ता-साधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन (feminine instrumental plural)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्प (disjunctive particle)

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Karana (Instrument/साधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (masculine instrumental plural)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्प (disjunctive particle)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (particle: also/even)

• कर्त्तव्यम्: must be done
• कर्त्तव्यम्: Vidhi (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (predicate: ‘must be done’)

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nominative/accusative singular)

• आदरात्: out of reverence; with respect
• आदरात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन (masculine ablative singular)

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced: Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa dialogic style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rukmiṇīkuṇḍa

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: muniśreṣṭha (addressed sage) and general pilgrims (women/men)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A childless couple (or a lone devotee) approaches the pond with offerings; women and men bathe respectfully; Rukmiṇī and Viṣṇu are envisioned blessing from a subtle divine plane; the mood is tender and hopeful.

Characters & Entities

• Rukmiṇī-kuṇḍa (contextual tīrtha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic tīrtha is portrayed as compassionate and accessible: sincere pilgrimage and reverent bathing are said to bestow life-enhancing blessings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Rukmiṇī-kuṇḍa in Ayodhyā, within the Ayodhyāmāhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Undertake the yātrā and perform snāna with ādarā (reverence), for both women and men.