Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

अतोऽभ्यस्येत्प्रयत्नेन सदाचारं सदा द्विजः । तीर्थान्यप्यभिलष्यंति सदाचारिसमागमम्

Transliteration

ato'bhyasyetprayatnena sadācāraṃ sadā dvijaḥ | tīrthānyapyabhilaṣyaṃti sadācārisamāgamam

Translation

Darum soll der Zweimalgeborene stets mit ernstem Eifer rechtes Verhalten üben; denn selbst die heiligen Tīrthas verlangen nach der Gemeinschaft derer, die in guter Sitte (sadācāra) leben.

Word by Word

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/सम्बन्धबोधक), अर्थे—‘अतः/तस्मात्’ (therefore)

• abhyasyet: should practice
• abhyasyet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√as (अस्/अस्यति) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; धातोः—अभ्यस् (to practice)

• prayatnena: with effort
• prayatnena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prayatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचनम् (by effort)

• sadācāram: good conduct
• sadācāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sad-ācāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सत् + आचारः)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• dvijaḥ: a twice-born (Brahmin)
• dvijaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचनम्

• tīrthāni: pilgrimage places
• tīrthāni: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचनम्

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/अपि=also/even)

• abhilaṣyanti: desire/seek
• abhilaṣyanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√laṣ (लष्) (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्

• sadācāri-samāgamam: association with the virtuous
• sadācāri-samāgamam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sadācārin + samāgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सदाचारिणां समागमः)

Speaker

Deductive: a Dharma-instructor voice within Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa (narrative speaker not explicit in the snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene hermitage setting where personified tīrthas (as radiant river-deities) approach a humble, disciplined brāhmaṇa; the emphasis is on austere purity rather than spectacle.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Good conduct itself is a supreme purifier—so powerful that even tīrthas are said to seek the presence of the virtuous.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site is named; the verse praises tīrthas in general while asserting the superior sanctity of sadācāra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A lifestyle prescription: constant practice of sadācāra (ethical discipline), presented as foundational to all religious merit.