Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

सुरालयसरोवापीकूपारामादिकल्पना । एतदर्थं हि पूर्ताख्या धर्मशास्त्रेषु निश्चिता

Transliteration

surālayasarovāpīkūpārāmādikalpanā | etadarthaṃ hi pūrtākhyā dharmaśāstreṣu niścitā

Translation

إن إنشاء معابد للآلهة، وحفر البرك والآبار، وبناء الآبار المدرَّجة، وإقامة الحدائق وما شابه ذلك—لهذا الغرض بعينه—قد حُدِّد في كتب الدهرما-شاسترا بأنه «بورته» (pūrta)، أي أعمال البرّ العامة.

Word by Word

• surālaya-saraḥ-vāpī-kūpa-ārāma-ādi-kalpanā: the making of temples, tanks, wells, gardens, etc.
• surālaya-saraḥ-vāpī-kūpa-ārāma-ādi-kalpanā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: surālaya (प्रातिपदिक) + saraḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + vāpī (प्रातिपदिक) + kūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ārāma (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + kalpanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः समासः (X-आदि-कलपनā = 'construction/planning of ... etc.')

• etadartham: for this purpose
• etadartham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; द्वितीया-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययवत् — 'for this purpose'

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) — निश्चय/हेतु (indeed/for)

• pūrtākhyā: called 'Pūrta' (public works charity)
• pūrtākhyā: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrta (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ('pūrta'-नाम्नी)

• dharmaśāstreṣu: in the dharma-texts
• dharmaśāstreṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharmaśāstra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य शास्त्रम्)

• niścitā: is established/decided
• niścitā: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√ci (धातु) → niścita (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'determined/settled' (pūrtākhyā इत्यस्य विधेय)

Speaker

Devadūta (contextual continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sequence of meritorious constructions: artisans carving a shrine, workers digging a tank, a stepwell with pilgrims drawing water, a garden grove with flowering trees; a priest consecrates the work with water-pot and mantra.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmaśāstra
• Surālaya (temple)
• Vāpī (tank/stepwell)
• Kūpa (well)
• Ārāma (garden)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Serving society through sacred and public infrastructure is a recognized form of dharma that generates enduring puṇya.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is specified; the verse supports tīrtha-culture broadly by praising works that aid worshippers and travelers.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The recommended dharmic act is pūrta: constructing temples, reservoirs/tanks, wells, and gardens as meritorious offerings.