Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

धन्यानामपि सा पूज्या अयोध्या सर्वकामदा । या स्वयं रामदेवेन पालिता धर्मबुद्धिना

Transliteration

dhanyānāmapi sā pūjyā ayodhyā sarvakāmadā | yā svayaṃ rāmadevena pālitā dharmabuddhinā

Translation

Even among the blessed, Ayodhyā is worthy of worship—the bestower of all desires—because it was ruled and protected by Lord Rāma Himself, whose mind was firmly established in dharma.

Word by Word

• धन्यानाम्: of the blessed (people)
• धन्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्यतः), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: 'even/also')

• सा: she/that (city)
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पूज्या: worthy of worship
• पूज्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) + पूज्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्ययार्थः: 'to be worshipped'), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम्

• अयोध्या: Ayodhyā
• अयोध्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयोध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नगरनाम

• सर्वकामदा: giver of all desires
• सर्वकामदा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + काम + दा (प्रातिपदिक-निर्माण)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां कामानां दात्री)

• या: which (she)
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• स्वयम्: personally
• स्वयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic adverb: 'personally')

• रामदेवेन: by Lord Rāma
• रामदेवेन: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (रामः एव देवः)

• पालिता: was protected/ruled
• पालिता: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु) + पालित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः; 'protected/ruled'

• धर्मबुद्धिना: by one whose mind is righteous
• धर्मबुद्धिना: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मे बुद्धिः यस्य)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (bhūpa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ayodhyā as a worship-worthy city: Rama as dharma-minded king protecting the realm; citizens and sages honor the city and its river Sarayū.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā
• Rāma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A city becomes supremely sacred when governed and sanctified by dharma embodied—here, Lord Rāma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā, praised as worship-worthy and wish-fulfilling due to Rāma’s presence and rule.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it implies pūjā/reverence toward Ayodhyā as a sacred city.