Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 110

Devanagari script

शांता दांता सुशीलाश्च धनपुत्रसमन्विताः । धर्मारण्ये द्विजाः श्रेष्ठाः क्रतुकर्मणि कोविदाः

Transliteration

śāṃtā dāṃtā suśīlāśca dhanaputrasamanvitāḥ | dharmāraṇye dvijāḥ śreṣṭhāḥ kratukarmaṇi kovidāḥ

Translation

In Dharmāraṇya sind die Besten der Zweimalgeborenen friedvoll, selbstbeherrscht und von gutem Wesen, mit Reichtum und Söhnen gesegnet und kundig in den Opferriten.

Word by Word

• शान्ताः: peaceful
• शान्ताः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• दान्ताः: self-controlled
• दान्ताः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• सुशीलाः: well-mannered
• सुशीलाः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; समासः (कर्मधारयः) ‘सु-शील’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• धनपुत्रसमन्विताः: endowed with wealth and sons
• धनपुत्रसमन्विताः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्-अन्-वित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-आधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; समासः (तत्पुरुषः) ‘धन-पुत्र-समन्वित’

• धर्मारण्ये: in Dharmāraṇya
• धर्मारण्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मारण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः (तत्पुरुषः) ‘धर्म-अरण्य’

• द्विजाः: Brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्

• श्रेष्ठाः: excellent
• श्रेष्ठाः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• क्रतुकर्मणि: in ritual acts
• क्रतुकर्मणि: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतुकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः (तत्पुरुषः) ‘क्रतु-कर्मन्’

• कोविदाः: skilled/learned
• कोविदाः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोविद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic teacher addressing a king; exact speaker not in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene Dharmāraṇya settlement: well-kept hermitages, sacrificial altars, peaceful brāhmaṇas with families, cows, and students; a yajña in progress with orderly ritual implements.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmāraṇya
• Dvija
• Kratu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A holy place is known by the virtues and disciplined lives of its residents—peace, restraint, and competence in sacred rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya itself is praised as a region where exemplary dvijas and sacrificial culture flourish.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance and mastery of kratu-karma (sacrificial rites) is highlighted, though no single sacrifice is named.