Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

केन वर्णयितुं शक्यो महिमाऽस्यास्तपोधन । यत्र साक्षात्स्वयं देवो विष्णुर्वसति सादरः

Transliteration

kena varṇayituṃ śakyo mahimā'syāstapodhana | yatra sākṣātsvayaṃ devo viṣṇurvasati sādaraḥ

Translation

¿Quién podría describir dignamente la grandeza de esta ciudad, oh tesoro de austeridad, donde el dios Viṣṇu mismo, manifiesto en persona, mora con amorosa benevolencia?

Word by Word

• केन: by whom/with what
• केन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• वर्णयितुम्: to describe
• वर्णयितुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्णय् (धातु, √वर्ण् causative)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), (to describe)

• शक्यः: possible
• शक्यः: Predicate/Complement (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य (प्रातिपदिक; √शक्-सम्भव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि-योग्यतावाचक (possible)

• महिमा: glory, greatness
• महिमा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अस्याः: of this (city)
• अस्याः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तपोधन: O treasure of austerity
• तपोधन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (relative adverb of place)

• साक्षात्: directly, in person
• साक्षात्: Discourse adverb (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) प्रत्यक्षार्थे (directly, in person)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Discourse adverb (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (reflexive adverb)

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वसति: dwells
• वसति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सादरः: with reverence, respectfully
• सादरः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सादर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Tapodhana (ascetic brāhmaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage (tapodhana) stands in reverent astonishment as Viṣṇu’s presence is felt within Ayodhyā—subtle theophany: a radiant form or a luminous aura emerging from the city’s sanctum axis.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Ayodhyā (contextual)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest sanctity of a place is grounded in the living presence of the Divine, making its glory ultimately beyond full human description.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā, exalted as a place where Viṣṇu personally resides.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is stated; the verse emphasizes divine indwelling as the source of the kṣetra’s greatness.