Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

यथा धर्ममवाप्नोति अन्यत्र न तथा क्वचित् । दानं व्रतं तथा होमः सर्वमक्षयतां व्रजेत

Transliteration

yathā dharmamavāpnoti anyatra na tathā kvacit | dānaṃ vrataṃ tathā homaḥ sarvamakṣayatāṃ vrajeta

Translation

As one attains Dharma here, nowhere else is it attained in the same way. Charity, religious observances, and sacrificial offerings—everything performed here becomes imperishable (akṣaya) in its merit.

Word by Word

• यथा: as, just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/उपमानवाचक (adverb of manner: “as/just as”)

• धर्मम्: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• अवाप्नोति: attains, obtains
• अवाप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव√आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere
• अन्यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb: “elsewhere”)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• तथा: so, in that way
• तथा: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: “thus/so”)

• क्वचित्: anywhere, at any time
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/कालवाचक (indefinite adverb: “anywhere/ever”)

• दानम्: gift, charity
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• व्रतम्: vow, religious observance
• व्रतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: also, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थे/तुल्यतावाचक (also/likewise)

• होमः: fire-offering, oblation
• होमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अक्षयताम्: imperishability, inexhaustible state
• अक्षयताम्: Gati/Karma (Goal/गति-लक्ष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षयता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (गन्तव्य-लक्ष्यरूपेण)

• व्रजेत: would go/attain
• व्रजेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced; Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa discourse style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims in Ayodhyā performing dāna to brāhmaṇas, observing vrata, and conducting homa; a luminous ‘akṣaya’ aura rises like an unending stream of light from the offerings.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Acts of Dharma gain special potency at Ayodhyā, becoming akṣaya (imperishable) in spiritual merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā is praised as a uniquely merit-bestowing sacred kṣetra in the Ayodhyāmāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It highlights dāna (charity), vrata (vows), and homa (fire-offerings) as especially fruitful when done there.