Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

अन्यमार्गे गता ये वै लोहासुरभयार्दिताः । धर्मारण्यान्नाति दूरे गत्वा चिंतामुपाययुः

Transliteration

anyamārge gatā ye vai lohāsurabhayārditāḥ | dharmāraṇyānnāti dūre gatvā ciṃtāmupāyayuḥ

Translation

Ceux qui prirent une autre route, tourmentés par la crainte de l’asura Loha, ne s’éloignèrent guère de Dharmāraṇya ; et là, ils sombrèrent dans l’inquiétude.

Word by Word

• अन्यमार्गे: on another path
• अन्यमार्गे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/Path)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य-मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अन्यः मार्गः)

• गताः: having gone
• गताः: Predicate (State of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past Participle, active sense), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/पादपूरण-अव्यय

• लोहासुरभयार्दिताः: afflicted by fear of Loha-asura
• लोहासुरभयार्दिताः: Karta (Subject, qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोहासुर-भय-आर्दित (प्रातिपदिक; लोहासुरभयेन आर्दिताः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (भयेन आर्दिताः)

• धर्मारण्यात्: from Dharmāraṇya
• धर्मारण्यात्: Apādāna (Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म-अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक; धर्मस्य अरण्यम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• अति: too / very
• अति: Adverbial (Degree)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (excess/very)

• दूरे: far away
• दूरे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/Extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (at a distance)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• चिंताम्: anxiety / worry
• चिंताम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिन्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उपाययुः: they came to / fell into
• उपाययुः: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (Purāṇic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya (proximate refuge)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A small group of merchants on a side path, halted, faces tense; Dharmāraṇya’s tree-line visible nearby; a dark, unseen threat implied; the group gathered in a circle, debating anxiously.

Characters & Entities

• Lohāsura
• Dharmāraṇya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Fear and uncertainty arise when one is cut off from guidance; staying near sacred regions like Dharmāraṇya signifies seeking protection and clarity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is explicitly referenced as the central sacred region, serving as the anchor-point for nearby movements.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse narrates the anxious pause of travelers near Dharmāraṇya due to Lohāsura-related fear.