Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 137

Devanagari script

स्वर्गवासं सुताद्बाह्यं विद्यते न तु पाण्डव । चक्रे दशरथस्तस्मात्पुत्रार्थं यज्ञमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

svargavāsaṃ sutādbāhyaṃ vidyate na tu pāṇḍava | cakre daśarathastasmātputrārthaṃ yajñamuttamam

Translation

يا ابن باندو، لا مقام في السماء بعيدًا عن الابن؛ لذلك أقام دشاراثا يَجْنًا عظيمًا طلبًا للذرية.

Word by Word

• स्वर्गवासम्: dwelling in heaven
• स्वर्गवासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वर्गे वासः)

• सुतात्: from a son; without a son (lit. from son)
• सुतात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• बाह्यम्: excluded, unattainable
• बाह्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying स्वर्गवासम्)

• विद्यते: exists, is possible
• विद्यते: Kriya (Existential/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

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

• पाण्डव: O Pāṇḍava
• पाण्डव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• चक्रे: performed, did
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• दशरथः: Daśaratha
• दशरथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Sambandha (Causal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; हेत्वर्थे (therefore/from that reason)

• पुत्रार्थम्: for obtaining a son
• पुत्रार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुष (पुत्राय अर्थः)

• यज्ञम्: sacrifice
• यज्ञम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent, best
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying यज्ञम्)

Speaker

Narrator within Revā-khaṇḍa (deductive; addressing a “Pāṇḍava” suggests a dialogic frame, exact speaker not explicit)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: a sage/narrator addressing a Pāṇḍava while a vignette shows Daśaratha performing a grand putreṣṭi-yajña, flames rising, priests chanting, queens observing from behind a screen.

Characters & Entities

• Pāṇḍava
• Daśaratha
• Svarga
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In the Purāṇic dharma framework, lineage and righteous progeny are tied to merit and posthumous welfare; hence rites are undertaken within dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of an ‘excellent sacrifice’ (yajña) with the intention of obtaining offspring (putrārtha).