Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

संस्थाप्य वेदभवनं विधिवद्द्विज सत्तमान् । किं चक्रे रघुनाथस्तु भूयोऽयोध्यां गतस्तदा

Transliteration

saṃsthāpya vedabhavanaṃ vidhivaddvija sattamān | kiṃ cakre raghunāthastu bhūyo'yodhyāṃ gatastadā

Translation

بعد أن أقام على الوجه الشرعي مسكنَ الفيدات، ورتّب خيارَ ذوي الميلادين (الدفيجا) كما ينبغي، فماذا صنع راغهوناثا بعد ذلك حين عاد ثانيةً إلى أيودھيا؟

Word by Word

• संस्थाप्य: having established
• संस्थाप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• वेदभवनम्: house/abode of the Vedas
• वेदभवनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + भवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वेदानां भवनम्)

• विधिवत्: properly
• विधिवत्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘according to rule’)

• द्विजसत्तमान्: the best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजसत्तमान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्विजानां सत्तमाः)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• चक्रे: did
• चक्रे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• रघुनाथः: Raghunātha (Rāma)
• रघुनाथः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रघु (प्रातिपदिक) + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रघोः नाथः)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• भूयः: again
• भूयः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘again/further’)

• अयोध्याम्: to Ayodhyā
• अयोध्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयोध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; गत्यर्थे कर्म

• गतः: gone
• गतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

Speaker

Nārada (continuing inquiry)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Īśvara (or the primary narrator being addressed in this dialogue sequence)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma establishing a ‘Veda-abode’ (a hall/academy/temple-like institution), arranging eminent brāhmaṇas with ritual propriety; then the narrative question: what did he do next upon reaching Ayodhyā?

Characters & Entities

• Raghunātha (Śrī Rāma)
• Ayodhyā
• Dvija-sattama (eminent brāhmaṇas)
• Veda-bhavana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ideal kingship supports Vedic order and honors the learned, then governs from the sacred capital in alignment with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā is referenced as the key sacred city to which Rāma returns.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse implies vidhivat establishment (properly instituted order) of a Vedic seat and honoring eminent brāhmaṇas.