Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

रामनाथशिवक्षेत्रं ये व्रजंति नरा मुदा । पदेपदेऽश्वमेधानां प्राप्नुयुः सुकृतानि ते

Transliteration

rāmanāthaśivakṣetraṃ ye vrajaṃti narā mudā | padepade'śvamedhānāṃ prāpnuyuḥ sukṛtāni te

Translation

Ceux qui, dans la joie, se rendent au Śiva-kṣetra de Rāmanātha obtiennent, à chaque pas, des mérites égaux à ceux des sacrifices d’Aśvamedha.

Word by Word

• रामनाथशिवक्षेत्रम्: the sacred field/temple-area of Rāmanātha-Śiva
• रामनाथशिवक्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रामनाथ + शिव + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive-determinative)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nom., Plural)

• व्रजन्ति: go
• व्रजन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (Present indicative, 3rd person plural, Parasmaipada)

• नराः: men, people
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nom., Plural)

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Instr., Singular)

• पदे: at (each) step
• पदे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Loc., Singular)

• पदे: at (every) step
• पदे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Loc., Singular); पुनरुक्ति (reduplication)

• अश्वमेधानाम्: of Aśvamedha sacrifices
• अश्वमेधानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Gen., Plural)

• प्राप्नुयुः: would obtain
• प्राप्नुयुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (सम्भावना/आशीः), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (Optative, 3rd person plural, Parasmaipada)

• सुकृतानि: merits, good deeds (fruits)
• सुकृतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Neuter, Acc., Plural)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nom., Plural)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Setukhaṇḍa māhātmya narration context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rāmanātha-kṣetra (Rāmeśvara) / Rāma-Setu

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims walking in a line along the sandy shore toward the Rāmanātha kṣetra; the sea glitters, distant sandbars suggest the Setu; a temple silhouette with a liṅga sanctum evokes the goal; each footstep is visually echoed by faint sacrificial fire-altars symbolizing Aśvamedha merit.

Characters & Entities

• Rāmanātha
• Śiva-kṣetra
• Aśvamedha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage undertaken with joyful devotion is itself a powerful dharmic act, yielding immense merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Rāmanātha Śiva-kṣetra (Rāmeśvaram) in the Setukhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yātrā (going on pilgrimage) to the kṣetra is recommended, with emphasis on going in a spirit of glad devotion.