Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

धेनुकं नैमिषारण्यं दंडकं सैंधवं तथा । दशारण्यमर्बुदं च नरनारायणाश्रमम्

Transliteration

dhenukaṃ naimiṣāraṇyaṃ daṃḍakaṃ saiṃdhavaṃ tathā | daśāraṇyamarbudaṃ ca naranārāyaṇāśramam

Translation

धेनुक, नैमिषारण्य, दण्डक तथा सैन्धव; दशारण्य, अर्बुद और नर-नारायण का पावन आश्रम भी (वहाँ हैं)।

Word by Word

• धेनुकम्: Dhenuka (a sacred place)
• धेनुकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नाम (place-name)

• नैमिषारण्यम्: Naimiṣa forest
• नैमिषारण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैमिष + अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘नैमिषम् अरण्यम्’ इति कर्मधारयः

• दण्डकम्: Daṇḍaka
• दण्डकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्डक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नाम (Daṇḍaka forest/region)

• सैन्धवम्: Saiṃdhava (Sindhu-region place)
• सैन्धवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘सिन्धुदेशसम्बन्धि’ (place-name)

• तथा: also; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/उपमानार्थक (also; likewise)

• दशारण्यम्: Daśārṇya forest/region
• दशारण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश + अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘दशानां (दश-जनपदानां) अरण्यम्’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (place-name Daśārṇya)

• अर्बुदम्: Arbuda
• अर्बुदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्बुद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नाम (Mount/region Arbuda)

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

• नरनारायणाश्रमम्: the hermitage of Nara-Nārāyaṇa
• नरनारायणाश्रमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + नारायण + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘नरनारायणयोः आश्रमः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the assembled sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (as the integrative kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A map-like sacred panorama: Dvārakā at the center, with emblematic vignettes of Naimiṣa’s cakra-tīrtha grove, Daṇḍaka forest, Arbuda peak, and Nara-Nārāyaṇa hermitage arranged like petals around the city.

Characters & Entities

• Naimiṣāraṇya
• Daṇḍaka
• Saiṃdhava
• Daśāraṇya
• Arbuda
• Nara-Nārāyaṇa Āśrama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Forests, mountains, and āśramas are portrayed as dharma-reservoirs—places where tapas, study, and pilgrimage converge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Naimiṣāraṇya and the Nara-Nārāyaṇa Āśrama are especially prominent among the listed sacred locales.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the verse is a tīrtha/kṣetra enumeration supporting pilgrimage orientation.