Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

निर्जनत्वं ममाद्य त्वमुद्धरस्व महामते । लोहासुरभयाद्राम विप्राः सर्वे दिशो दश

Transliteration

nirjanatvaṃ mamādya tvamuddharasva mahāmate | lohāsurabhayādrāma viprāḥ sarve diśo daśa

Translation

Ô toi au grand esprit, délivre-moi aujourd’hui de cet abandon. Ô Rāma, par crainte de Lohāsura, tous les brāhmanes se sont enfuis vers les dix directions.

Word by Word

• निर्जनत्वम्: desolation/emptiness (lack of people)
• निर्जनत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्जनत्व (प्रातिपदिक; निर्जन + त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Kala-adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (today/now)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उद्धरस्व: lift up/rescue/remove
• उद्धरस्व: Kriya (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्√हृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• महामते: O great-minded one
• महामते: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुँलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: महती मतिः यस्य

• लोहासुरभयात्: from fear of Lohāsura
• लोहासुरभयात्: Apadana (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोहासुर + भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: लोहासुरस्य भयम्

• राम: O Rāma
• राम: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुँलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• विप्राः: brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुँलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुँलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying विप्राः)

• दिशः: directions
• दिशः: Karma (Goal/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; गत्यर्थे (object of motion)

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-शब्दः; दिशः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम् (ten)

Speaker

Dharmāraṇya-kṣetra Adhidevatā (the presiding deity of Dharmāraṇya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The kṣetra-devatā urgently implores Rāma to rescue the deserted Dharmāraṇya; the ten directions are shown as paths of fleeing brāhmaṇas, with the looming threat of Lohāsura.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lohāsura
• Viprāḥ (Brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When adharma (asuric threat) prevails, pilgrimage and Vedic life decline; dharmic power is sought to restore safety.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya-kṣetra, depicted as deserted due to the terror of Lohāsura.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the focus is on protection enabling rites and settlement to return.