Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

युग्मम् । पुण्यवृक्षान्पुण्यनदीः पुण्यतीर्थं महत्सरः । धेनुं च वृषभं रत्नं युवतीं च पतिव्रताम्

Transliteration

yugmam | puṇyavṛkṣānpuṇyanadīḥ puṇyatīrthaṃ mahatsaraḥ | dhenuṃ ca vṛṣabhaṃ ratnaṃ yuvatīṃ ca pativratām

Translation

Revere sacred trees, sacred rivers, sacred tīrthas, and great lakes. Revere also the cow, the bull, a precious gem, and a young woman devoted in fidelity to her husband.

Word by Word

• युग्मम्: a pair (heading)
• युग्मम्: Discourse label (निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; शीर्षक/निर्देश (rubric: ‘pair’)

• पुण्यवृक्षान्: sacred trees
• पुण्यवृक्षान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (पुण्याः वृक्षाः)

• पुण्यनदीः: sacred rivers
• पुण्यनदीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (पुण्याः नद्यः)

• पुण्यतीर्थम्: a sacred pilgrimage place
• पुण्यतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (पुण्यं तीर्थम्)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (सरः)

• सरः: lake/pond
• सरः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (वैदिक/काव्ये रूपम् ‘सरः’); कर्मपद

• धेनुम्: a cow
• धेनुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• वृषभम्: a bull
• वृषभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• रत्नम्: a jewel
• रत्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• युवतीम्: a young woman
• युवतीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• पतिव्रताम्: devoted to her husband
• पतिव्रताम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (पतेः व्रतं यस्याः/पतिव्रता)

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic instruction; marked as part of a ‘yugma’)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Punya-nadī / Punya-tīrtha / Mahat-saras (generic)

Type: river/kshetra/sarovara

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic sacred landscape: venerable trees by a flowing river leading to a tīrtha-ghāṭa and a shining lake; nearby a cow and bull stand peacefully; a gem glints in a ritual tray; a pativratā woman offers water with dignity.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

See the sacred in both geography and life—honor tīrthas and holy nature, and uphold dharmic respect toward revered beings and symbols.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse praises tīrthas broadly (holy rivers, lakes, pilgrimage-fords) without naming a particular location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Reverence (mānana/upacāra) toward tīrthas and sacred beings is prescribed; no specific vrata or donation procedure is detailed.