Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 116

Devanagari script

यत्र रामाज्ञया विद्वन्साकेतनगरीजनाः । अवापुः स्वर्गमतुलं निमज्ज्य परमांभसि

Transliteration

yatra rāmājñayā vidvansāketanagarījanāḥ | avāpuḥ svargamatulaṃ nimajjya paramāṃbhasi

Translation

Dort, o Gelehrter, erlangten auf Rāmas Geheiß die Bewohner der Stadt Sāketa, nachdem sie in jene höchsten Wasser eingetaucht waren, einen unvergleichlichen Himmel.

Word by Word

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Locative setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक-स्थानवाचक

• रामाज्ञया: by Rāma’s command
• रामाज्ञया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम-आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक); घटकाः: राम + आज्ञा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रामस्य आज्ञया): ‘by Rāma’s command’

• विद्वन्: O learned one
• विद्वन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• साकेतनगरीजनाः: the people of Sāketa-city
• साकेतनगरीजनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साकेत-नगरी-जन (प्रातिपदिक); घटकाः: साकेत + नगरी + जन
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (साकेतस्य नगर्याः जनाः): ‘people of the city of Sāketa’

• अवापुः: obtained
• अवापुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव् + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; √आप् (to obtain) with उपसर्ग अव-

• स्वर्गम्: heaven
• स्वर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• अतुलम्: incomparable
• अतुलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of स्वर्गम्)

• निमज्ज्य: having immersed (themselves)
• निमज्ज्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि + मज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); √मज्ज् (to immerse) with उपसर्ग नि-: ‘having immersed/bathed’

• परम-अम्भसि: in the supreme waters
• परम-अम्भसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम-अम्भस् (प्रातिपदिक); घटकाः: परम + अम्भस्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (परमं अम्भः): ‘in the supreme water’

Speaker

Unknown (Ayodhyāmāhātmya narrator; likely a Purāṇic teacher addressing a listener)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gopratārā (contextual)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vyāsa (context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma stands on the riverbank, right hand raised in gentle command; citizens of Sāketa—men, women, elders—enter the luminous waters in orderly devotion; celestial vimānas and flowers appear above, indicating ‘atula svarga’.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sāketa
• Svarga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sanctity of place and the authority of dharmic command together elevate a simple act like bathing into a liberating rite.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The sacred waters associated with Sāketa/Ayodhyā—contextually tied to the confluence and nearby tīrthas described in this chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nimajjana—ritual immersion in the holy waters, performed in obedience to Rāma’s instruction.