Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

वर्द्धन्युवाच । मा भयं कुरु देवेश यमस्यार्कसुतस्य च । अयं स्वार्थपरो धर्म यशसे च समाचरेत्

Transliteration

varddhanyuvāca | mā bhayaṃ kuru deveśa yamasyārkasutasya ca | ayaṃ svārthaparo dharma yaśase ca samācaret

Translation

Varddhanī sprach: „Fürchte dich nicht, o Herr der Götter – weder vor Yama, dem Sohn der Sonne, noch vor irgendetwas anderem. Dieses Dharma wird um des rechten eigenen Zieles willen geübt und soll auch um guten Rufes willen vollzogen werden.“

Word by Word

• वर्द्धनी: Varddhanī
• वर्द्धनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्द्धनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratiṣedha (Prohibition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (prohibitive particle)

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• कुरु: do / make
• कुरु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवेश: O lord of the gods
• देवेश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• यमस्य: of Yama
• यमस्य: Sambandha (Possession/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अर्कसुतस्य: of the Sun’s son (Yama)
• अर्कसुतस्य: Sambandha (Possession/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क-सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्वार्थपरः: intent on one’s own interest
• स्वार्थपरः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व-अर्थ-पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective)

• धर्मः: Dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• यशसे: for fame
• यशसे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• समाचरेत्: should practice / should perform
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Varddhanī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇyaka

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devēśa (addressed as ‘Lord of the gods’; contextually Śakra/Indra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Varddhanī addresses a divine figure with calm assurance, dismissing fear of Yama; a forest-āśrama ambience with subtle celestial presence.

Characters & Entities

• Varddhanī
• Yama
• Sūrya (Arka)
• Deveśa (addressed deity/lord)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma is rightly practiced, fear of punitive forces diminishes; ethical conduct supports both inner good and honorable reputation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a direct site-glorification verse; it supports the Dharmāraṇya narrative by framing dharma as protective.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it is an exhortation to practice dharma steadily and without fear.