Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

परं तु पूर्वं धर्मेण स्थापितं तीर्थमुत्तमम् । तद्द्रष्टुकामोऽहं देव त्वत्प्रसादाज्जनार्दन

Transliteration

paraṃ tu pūrvaṃ dharmeṇa sthāpitaṃ tīrthamuttamam | taddraṣṭukāmo'haṃ deva tvatprasādājjanārdana

Translation

„Doch einst wurde durch Dharma ein höchst erhabenes Tīrtha gegründet. O Herr Janārdana, durch deine Gnade begehre ich, jene heilige Stätte zu schauen.“

Word by Word

• परम्: however, but
• परम्: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अनन्तरार्थक (but, however)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (adversative/emphatic particle)

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (formerly/before)

• धर्मेण: by dharma, by righteousness
• धर्मेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• स्थापितम्: established
• स्थापितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• तीर्थम्: holy place, ford
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent, best
• उत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• द्रष्टुकामः: desirous to see
• द्रष्टुकामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रष्टु (infinitive from दृश्) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (उपपद) समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘द्रष्टुं कामः’ (desirous to see)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• देव: O Lord
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• त्वत्प्रसादात्: by your grace
• त्वत्प्रसादात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvat (युष्मद्-प्रातिपदिक) + prasāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; ‘त्वत्-प्रसाद’ = तव प्रसादः (your grace)

• जनार्दन: O Janārdana
• जनार्दन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janārdana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viṣṇu (Janārdana)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā describes an ancient, supremely excellent tīrtha established by Dharma and expresses his desire to behold it through Janārdana’s grace.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• Dharma
• Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrthas are upheld by dharma, and their darśana is sought through divine grace and right intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ‘uttama tīrtha’ associated with Dharmāraṇya, said to have been established through Dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated—only the aspiration for tīrtha-darśana (pilgrimage and sacred viewing).