Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

वेदवेदाङ्गतत्त्वज्ञः स्वकर्मपरिनिष्ठितः । पुरा समागतो धर्मस्तीर्थयात्राचिकीर्षया

Transliteration

vedavedāṅgatattvajñaḥ svakarmapariniṣṭhitaḥ | purā samāgato dharmastīrthayātrācikīrṣayā

Translation

In früherer Zeit kam Dharma—Kenner der Wahrheiten der Veden und Vedāṅgas und fest gegründet in seiner eigenen Pflicht—mit dem Wunsch, eine Pilgerfahrt zu den heiligen Tīrthas zu unternehmen.

Word by Word

• veda-vedāṅga-tattva-jñaḥ: knower of the truth of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas
• veda-vedāṅga-tattva-jñaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + vedāṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वेदानां वेदाङ्गानां तत्त्वस्य च ज्ञः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (multi-member); knower of the truth of Vedas and Vedāṅgas

• sva-karma-pariniṣṭhitaḥ: steadfast in his own duties
• sva-karma-pariniṣṭhitaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + karma (प्रातिपदिक) + pariniṣṭhita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; स्वकर्मणि परिनिष्ठितः इति सप्तमी/अधिकरण-तत्पुरुष-प्रायः; firmly devoted to one’s own duties

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb of time: formerly/once)

• samāgataḥ: arrived
• samāgataḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-gam (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘having come/arrived’ (used predicatively)

• dharmaḥ: Dharma
• dharmaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; here likely a proper name/personified Dharma

• tīrtha-yātrā-cikīrṣayā: with the wish to go on pilgrimage
• tīrtha-yātrā-cikīrṣayā: Hetu (Purpose/Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक) + yātrā (प्रातिपदिक) + cikīrṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (हेतु/करण), एकवचन; तीर्थयात्रां चिकीर्षा इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; instrumental of purpose: with the desire to undertake a pilgrimage

Speaker

Agastya (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā tīrtha-network (general)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Interlocutor(s) of Agastya in Ayodhyāmāhātmya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dharma personified as a radiant brāhmaṇa-sage carrying scriptures and a staff, setting out on pilgrimage with calm determination, heading toward Ayodhyā’s sacred landscape.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Veda
• Vedāṅga
• Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even Dharma itself is portrayed as honoring tīrtha-yātrā, teaching that pilgrimage supports and deepens righteous living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces the tīrtha-yātrā context leading into Ayodhyā’s sacred sites, rather than naming a single tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pilgrimage (tīrtha-yātrā) is indicated as a dharmic practice, though no step-by-step rite is specified in this verse.