Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

यज्ञैर्दानैर्जपैर्होमैस्तीर्थैर्व्रतसमुच्चयैः । वेदादिप्रोक्तैरन्यैश्च साध्यांल्लोकानिमान्विदुः

Transliteration

yajñairdānairjapairhomaistīrthairvratasamuccayaiḥ | vedādiproktairanyaiśca sādhyāṃllokānimānviduḥ

Translation

By yajñas (sacrifices), dāna (gifts), japa (recitation), homa (fire-offerings), pilgrimages to sacred tīrthas, and the gathered practice of vows (vrata)—together with other disciplines taught in the Vedas and allied teachings—these worlds are known to be attainable.

Word by Word

• yajñaiḥ: by sacrifices
• yajñaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• dānaiḥ: by gifts/charity
• dānaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• japaiḥ: by recitations
• japaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: japa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• homaiḥ: by oblations
• homaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: homa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• tīrthaiḥ: by pilgrimages/sacred fords
• tīrthaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• vrata-samuccayaiḥ: by accumulations of vows
• vrata-samuccayaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata + samuccaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘by collections of vows’

• veda-ādi-proktaiḥ: by (means) taught in the Vedas and others
• veda-ādi-proktaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda + ādi + prokta (pra+√vac + kta)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; अन्यैः इत्यनेन सह विशेषणम्; ‘by those stated in the Vedas etc.’

• anyaiḥ: by other (means)
• anyaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (and)

• sādhyān: to be attained/achievable
• sādhyān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sādhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; लोकान् इति विशेषण

• lokān: worlds
• lokān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• imān: these
• imān: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; लोकान् इति विशेषण

• viduḥ: they know/declare
• viduḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Characters & Entities

• Veda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Puranic Dharma is practical: disciplined worship, charity, mantra, fire-rites, vows, and pilgrimage collectively mature into spiritual merit and higher attainments.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site is specified; the verse broadly praises tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage) as a meritorious means.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It lists core practices—yajña, dāna, japa, homa, tīrtha-sevā, and vrata—endorsed by Vedic teaching as means to attain higher realms.