Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

पालयन्ती च संस्थानं द्विजातीनां हिताय वै । यथौरसान्सुतान्माता पालयन्तीह सद्गुणैः

Transliteration

pālayantī ca saṃsthānaṃ dvijātīnāṃ hitāya vai | yathaurasānsutānmātā pālayantīha sadguṇaiḥ

Translation

Elle veille sur l’institution sacrée pour le bien des deux-fois-nés, comme une mère ici protège ses propres fils par une vertu aimante.

Word by Word

• पालयन्ती: protecting, maintaining
• पालयन्ती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पालय् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; धातु: पालय् (पालने)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• संस्थानम्: order, establishment, institution
• संस्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• द्विजातीनाम्: of the twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• द्विजातीनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग (जातिशब्द), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• हिताय: for the welfare
• हिताय: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the sake of)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparator/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (comparative/"as")

• औरसान्: one's own, born of the body (legitimate)
• औरसान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: औरस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• सुतान्: sons
• सुतान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• माता: mother
• माता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पालयन्ती: protecting
• पालयन्ती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पालय् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; धातु: पालय्

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• सद्गुणैः: with good qualities/virtues
• सद्गुणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सद्गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समास: सत् + गुण (कर्मधारय)

Speaker

Narrator within the Dharmāraṇya-māhātmya context (exact speaker not stated in the snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇyaka / Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpa (King)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene forest-kshetra with a sanctified enclosure; Śrīmātā as a radiant mother-goddess stands protectively near a sacred establishment while dvijas perform rites; her gaze is compassionate, hands in blessing and protection.

Characters & Entities

• Śrīmātā/Kumārī (implied)
• Dvijātis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The presiding Devī safeguards the dharmic order of the kṣetra with maternal care, sustaining seekers and sacred institutions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya’s “saṃsthāna” (sacred seat/precinct) is praised as being under the Goddess’s protection.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse establishes the Goddess’s protective role over the sacred precinct and its dharmic community.