Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

केन वर्णयितुं शक्यो महिमाऽस्यास्तपोधन । यत्र साक्षात्स्वयं देवो विष्णुर्वसति सादरः

Transliteration

kena varṇayituṃ śakyo mahimā'syāstapodhana | yatra sākṣātsvayaṃ devo viṣṇurvasati sādaraḥ

Translation

誰がこの都の大いなる威光を十分に語り得ようか、ああ苦行の宝よ。そこには神ヴィシュヌが自ら顕現し、慈しみをもって住まわれる。

Word by Word

• केन: by whom/with what
• केन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• वर्णयितुम्: to describe
• वर्णयितुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्णय् (धातु, √वर्ण् causative)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), (to describe)

• शक्यः: possible
• शक्यः: Predicate/Complement (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य (प्रातिपदिक; √शक्-सम्भव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि-योग्यतावाचक (possible)

• महिमा: glory, greatness
• महिमा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अस्याः: of this (city)
• अस्याः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तपोधन: O treasure of austerity
• तपोधन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (relative adverb of place)

• साक्षात्: directly, in person
• साक्षात्: Discourse adverb (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) प्रत्यक्षार्थे (directly, in person)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Discourse adverb (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (reflexive adverb)

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वसति: dwells
• वसति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सादरः: with reverence, respectfully
• सादरः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सादर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Tapodhana (ascetic brāhmaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage (tapodhana) stands in reverent astonishment as Viṣṇu’s presence is felt within Ayodhyā—subtle theophany: a radiant form or a luminous aura emerging from the city’s sanctum axis.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Ayodhyā (contextual)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest sanctity of a place is grounded in the living presence of the Divine, making its glory ultimately beyond full human description.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā, exalted as a place where Viṣṇu personally resides.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is stated; the verse emphasizes divine indwelling as the source of the kṣetra’s greatness.