Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 97

Devanagari script

चंद्रवच्छीतलाः सर्वे धर्मारण्ये व्यवस्थिताः । सदाचारा महादक्षाः श्रुतिशास्त्र परायणाः

Transliteration

caṃdravacchītalāḥ sarve dharmāraṇye vyavasthitāḥ | sadācārā mahādakṣāḥ śrutiśāstra parāyaṇāḥ

Translation

Tous—frais et apaisants comme la lune—demeurent établis dans le Dharmāraṇya ; de bonne conduite, très habiles, ils sont voués au Veda et aux śāstras.

Word by Word

• चन्द्रवत्: like the moon
• चन्द्रवत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपमानवाचक/तुल्यतार्थक), तद्धितान्त-प्रयोगः; adverbial ‘like/as’

• शीतलाः: cool, soothing
• शीतलाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; adjective agreeing with ‘सर्वे’

• सर्वे: all (of them)
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम-शब्दः

• धर्मारण्ये: in Dharmāraṇya (the forest of Dharma)
• धर्मारण्ये: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मारण्य (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + अरण्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; अधिकरणम् (locative)

• व्यवस्थिताः: situated, established
• व्यवस्थिताः: Karta-sāmānādhikaraṇa (Predicative adjective/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु) → व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः भूतकर्मणि/भूतभावे; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; ‘स्थित’ = established/remaining

• सदाचाराः: of good conduct
• सदाचाराः: Karta-sāmānādhikaraṇa (Appositional predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदाचार (प्रातिपदिक; सत् + आचार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; गुणवाचक-संज्ञा

• महादक्षाः: very capable
• महादक्षाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महादक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; महा + दक्ष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• श्रुतिशास्त्रपरायणाः: devoted to the Vedas and scriptures
• श्रुतिशास्त्रपरायणाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; ‘श्रुति-शास्त्रेषु परायण’ = devoted to

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; not explicit in this snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene forest-kshetra with moonlike cool light; groups of calm, disciplined sages/householders seated in study, recitation, and orderly communal life.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmāraṇya
• Śruti
• Śāstra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A sacred place is known by the character of its residents—gentleness, right conduct, and devotion to scripture.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is explicitly praised as the abode of moon-like, dharmic people.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is prescribed; the emphasis is on śruti-śāstra devotion and ethical living.