Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 12
ध्यानं वाथ क्रतुं वाथ होमं वा जपमुत्तमम् । दानं वा नियमं वाथ स्नानं वा तप उत्तमम्
dhyānaṃ vātha kratuṃ vātha homaṃ vā japamuttamam | dānaṃ vā niyamaṃ vātha snānaṃ vā tapa uttamam
ಅಥವಾ ಧ್ಯಾನವೋ, ಕ್ರತು-ಯಜ್ಞವೋ, ಹೋಮವೋ, ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ಜಪವೋ ಮಾಡಬೇಕೇ? ಅಥವಾ ದಾನ, ನಿಯಮ, ಸ್ನಾನ, ಇಲ್ಲವೆ ಉತ್ಕೃಷ್ಟ ತಪಸ್ಸೇ?
Rāma
Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya
Type: kshetra
Scene: Rāma expands his inquiry: meditation, sacrifice, homa, japa—what is best in Dharmāraṇya? The scene remains a respectful dialogue with ritual imagery suggested (fire altar, rosary, water vessel).
FAQs
A holy kṣetra supports multiple paths—inner (dhyāna, japa) and outer (homa, kratu, dāna)—and wisdom lies in discerning the right practice.
Dharmāraṇya remains the implied mahākṣetra where these practices are being considered for maximum spiritual fruit.
Meditation (dhyāna), sacrifice (kratu), fire-offering (homa), mantra-recitation (japa), charity (dāna), vows (niyama), bathing (snāna), and austerity (tapas) are listed as candidate observances.
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