Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

तद्दृष्ट्वा महदाश्चर्यं रामो विष्णुं प्रपूज्य च । रामलेखविचित्रैस्तु लिखितं धर्मशासनम्

Transliteration

taddṛṣṭvā mahadāścaryaṃ rāmo viṣṇuṃ prapūjya ca | rāmalekhavicitraistu likhitaṃ dharmaśāsanam

Translation

Voyant ce grand prodige, Rāma rendit un culte à Viṣṇu ; et l’ordonnance du dharma fut gravée en formes merveilleuses, tracées par l’écriture même de Rāma.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having seen)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• आश्चर्यम्: wonder
• आश्चर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रामः: Rāma
• रामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• प्रपूज्य: having worshipped
• प्रपूज्य: Purvakala-Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (ल्यप्/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having worshipped)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• रामलेखविचित्रैः: by/with Rāma’s varied lines/inscriptions
• रामलेखविचित्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक) + लेख (प्रातिपदिक) + विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (रामस्य लेखाः) + विशेषण ‘विचित्र’; करण (by means of)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (but/indeed)

• लिखितम्: written
• लिखितम्: Kriya (Result state/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिख् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘written’

• धर्मशासनम्: the ordinance/teaching of dharma
• धर्मशासनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य शासनम् = ordinance of dharma)

Speaker

Narratorial voice within Dharmāraṇyakhaṇḍa (context speaker not explicit in the snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (continuing narrative address)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma stands at the tīrtha, offers worship to Viṣṇu, then inscribes a dharma-ordinance in ornate script—letters appearing as luminous, artistic forms; sages observe with reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Viṣṇu
• Dharma-śāsana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the mightiest uphold humility through worship; dharma is established not merely by power but by devotion and reverent acknowledgment of the Divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dharmāraṇya tīrtha-context is affirmed through the ‘great marvel’ and the sacred inscription of dharma linked to that place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Viṣṇu-pūjā (worship of Viṣṇu) is explicitly mentioned as Rāma’s response to the sacred wonder.