Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

वेदवेदाङ्गतत्त्वज्ञः स्वकर्मपरिनिष्ठितः । पुरा समागतो धर्मस्तीर्थयात्राचिकीर्षया

Transliteration

vedavedāṅgatattvajñaḥ svakarmapariniṣṭhitaḥ | purā samāgato dharmastīrthayātrācikīrṣayā

Translation

Autrefois, Dharma—connaisseur des vérités des Veda et des Vedāṅga, fermement établi dans son devoir propre—vint, désireux d’entreprendre un pèlerinage vers les tīrtha sacrés.

Word by Word

• veda-vedāṅga-tattva-jñaḥ: knower of the truth of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas
• veda-vedāṅga-tattva-jñaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + vedāṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वेदानां वेदाङ्गानां तत्त्वस्य च ज्ञः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (multi-member); knower of the truth of Vedas and Vedāṅgas

• sva-karma-pariniṣṭhitaḥ: steadfast in his own duties
• sva-karma-pariniṣṭhitaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + karma (प्रातिपदिक) + pariniṣṭhita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; स्वकर्मणि परिनिष्ठितः इति सप्तमी/अधिकरण-तत्पुरुष-प्रायः; firmly devoted to one’s own duties

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb of time: formerly/once)

• samāgataḥ: arrived
• samāgataḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-gam (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘having come/arrived’ (used predicatively)

• dharmaḥ: Dharma
• dharmaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; here likely a proper name/personified Dharma

• tīrtha-yātrā-cikīrṣayā: with the wish to go on pilgrimage
• tīrtha-yātrā-cikīrṣayā: Hetu (Purpose/Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक) + yātrā (प्रातिपदिक) + cikīrṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (हेतु/करण), एकवचन; तीर्थयात्रां चिकीर्षा इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; instrumental of purpose: with the desire to undertake a pilgrimage

Speaker

Agastya (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā tīrtha-network (general)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Interlocutor(s) of Agastya in Ayodhyāmāhātmya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dharma personified as a radiant brāhmaṇa-sage carrying scriptures and a staff, setting out on pilgrimage with calm determination, heading toward Ayodhyā’s sacred landscape.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Veda
• Vedāṅga
• Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even Dharma itself is portrayed as honoring tīrtha-yātrā, teaching that pilgrimage supports and deepens righteous living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces the tīrtha-yātrā context leading into Ayodhyā’s sacred sites, rather than naming a single tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pilgrimage (tīrtha-yātrā) is indicated as a dharmic practice, though no step-by-step rite is specified in this verse.