Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

स्वर्लोकादधिकं रम्यं नहि ब्रह्मांडगोलके । सर्वे यतंते स्वर्गाय तपोदानव्रतादिभिः

Transliteration

svarlokādadhikaṃ ramyaṃ nahi brahmāṃḍagolake | sarve yataṃte svargāya tapodānavratādibhiḥ

Translation

Im ganzen Weltenrund gibt es nichts Lieblicheres als Svarga; darum streben alle nach dem Himmel durch Askese, Spenden, Gelübde und dergleichen.

Word by Word

• स्वर्लोकात्: than Svarga-loka / from heaven-world
• स्वर्लोकात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; अपादान

• अधिकम्: greater
• अधिकम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (रम्यम्)

• रम्यम्: more delightful (thing/place)
• रम्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (implicit 'किञ्चित्/स्थानम्')

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• ब्रह्माण्ड-गोलके: in the cosmic sphere (universe)
• ब्रह्माण्ड-गोलके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + गोलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• सर्वे: all (people)
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्तृपद

• यतन्ते: strive
• यतन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• स्वर्गाय: for heaven
• स्वर्गाय: Sampradana (Recipient/Goal/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान

• तपो-दान-व्रत-आदिभिः: by austerities, gifts, vows, etc.
• तपो-दान-व्रत-आदिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; करण; (आदि-शब्देन अन्यानि साधनानि)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Svarga (as loka-phala)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mortals and sages performing tapas by rivers, giving dāna, observing vratas; above them, a radiant svarga realm as the aspirational goal within the cosmic sphere.

Characters & Entities

• Svarga (Svarloka)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

People pursue heaven as the peak of worldly delight, using dharmic disciplines like tapas, dāna, and vrata.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tirtha is named; the verse sets up a contrast later used by the Kāśī-khaṇḍa to elevate Kāśī’s spiritual aim beyond mere heaven.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yes in general terms: tapas (austerity), dāna (charity), and vrata (vowed observances) as merit-producing practices.