Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

तत्र वै देवतागारं पुण्यान्यायतनानिच । पुष्पारामादिकं चापि तटाकखननादिकम्

Transliteration

tatra vai devatāgāraṃ puṇyānyāyatanānica | puṣpārāmādikaṃ cāpi taṭākakhananādikam

Translation

Là, il établit un sanctuaire pour la divinité et d’autres demeures sacrées ; il aménagea aussi des jardins de fleurs et entreprit des travaux tels que le creusement d’un étang.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

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

• देवतागारम्: a shrine/house of a deity
• देवतागारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता + आगार (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘देवतायाः आगारम्’)

• पुण्यानि: holy, meritorious
• पुण्यानि: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचन (agreeing with आयतनानि)

• आयतनानि: abodes, sanctuaries
• आयतनानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• पुष्पारामादिकम्: flower-garden etc.
• पुष्पारामादिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प + आराम + आदि + क (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘पुष्पारामः आदिः यस्य तत्’—‘etc.’ sense)

• तटाकखननादिकम्: digging of ponds etc.
• तटाकखननादिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तटाक + खनन + आदि + क (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘तटाक-खननम्’ + ‘आदि’)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator within Setukhaṇḍa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka etc. (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A small sacred complex rises: a deity-shrine with a flagstaff, adjacent sanctified structures, blooming flower gardens, and workers digging a pond; the devotee supervises with reverence.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is expressed through constructive sacred works—shrines, gardens, and water-reservoirs that benefit worship and the community.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is Setukhaṇḍa (Setu tīrtha tradition); the verse highlights tīrtha-enhancing works rather than naming a specific sub-site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meritorious acts (puṇya-kriyā): building a shrine, creating sacred structures, making gardens, and digging a pond.