Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

तन्मेब्रूहि सुरश्रेष्ठ व्रतं नियममेव वा । तीर्थं वा जपहोमं वा सर्वलोकसुखावहम्

Transliteration

tanmebrūhi suraśreṣṭha vrataṃ niyamameva vā | tīrthaṃ vā japahomaṃ vā sarvalokasukhāvaham

Translation

فأخبرني، يا خيرَ الآلهة، عن نذرٍ مقدّسٍ أو رياضةٍ وانضباط، أو عن تيرثا طاهرة، أو عن الجَپا والتقدمة بالنار (هوما)، مما يهب السلامة والسعادة لجميع العوالم.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• मे: to me / for me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन; दातृसम्बन्धे (for me)

• ब्रूहि: tell
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• सुरश्रेष्ठ: O best of gods
• सुरश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; संबोधनपद

• व्रतम्: vow
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नियमम्: observance / rule
• नियमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• तीर्थम्: pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय

• जपहोमम्: recitation and fire-offering
• जपहोमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप + होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (japa and homa)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय

• सर्वलोकसुखावहम्: bringing happiness to all worlds
• सर्वलोकसुखावहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + लोक + सुख + आवह (प्रातिपदिक; √वह् (धातु) उपसर्ग-आ णिनि/अच्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of the requested means)

Speaker

Brāhmaṇa (addressing Yama)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee respectfully asks a radiant deity or exalted sage for the best vow/discipline/tīrtha practice; the background hints at ritual fire, rosary, and a river/temple—options named in the question.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Yama (implied as suraśreṣṭha in this dialogue)
• Tīrtha
• Japa
• Homa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The seeker asks for a single, most effective dharmic practice—vrata, discipline, tīrtha, japa, or homa—that benefits both self and cosmos.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse asks about a tīrtha in principle; no named location appears in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vrata (vow), niyama (discipline), tīrtha-sevā (pilgrimage/holy site), japa (chanting), and homa (fire offering) are listed as candidate practices.