Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा तत्र बहुशो ननर्त प्रमदाकुलः । धर्मो माहात्म्यमालोक्य अयोध्याया विशेषतः

Transliteration

ityuktvā tatra bahuśo nanarta pramadākulaḥ | dharmo māhātmyamālokya ayodhyāyā viśeṣataḥ

Translation

Having spoken thus, Dharma—overwhelmed with joy—danced there again and again, beholding in particular the extraordinary greatness of Ayodhyā.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative particle/इति-प्रयोगः)

• uktvā: having said
• uktvā: Kriya (पूर्वकर्म/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (having said)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of place/देशवाचक)

• bahuśaḥ: many times
• bahuśaḥ: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bahuśas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of frequency/पुनरुक्ति)

• nanarta: danced
• nanarta: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nṛt (नृत् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• pramadā-kulaḥ: surrounded by women
• pramadā-kulaḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pramadā (प्रमदा प्रातिपदिक) + kula (कुल प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (प्रमदाभिः आकुलः/filled with women); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• dharmaḥ: Dharma
• dharmaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (धर्म प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• māhātmyam: the greatness
• māhātmyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māhātmya (माहात्म्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ālokya: having beheld
• ālokya: Kriya (पूर्वकर्म/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-lok (आलोक् धातु) + ya (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाल (having seen/considered)

• ayodhyāyāḥ: of Ayodhya
• ayodhyāyāḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayodhyā (अयोध्या प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: especially/विशेषेण)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual, not explicitly marked in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā-kṣetra (special greatness highlighted)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Personified Dharma, radiant and dignified, dances repeatedly in an Ayodhyā courtyard surrounded by astonished attendants; the air is filled with banners, lamps, and sacred music.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Ayodhyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dharma naturally rejoices when the glory of a sacred place is understood; devotion expresses itself as heartfelt celebration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā, praised for its special and exceptional māhātmya (sacred greatness).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed; the verse emphasizes reverent recognition of Ayodhyā’s māhātmya.