Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

राजोवाच । तत्र धर्मपुरं गत्वा विचरन्तावितस्ततः । यदि पृच्छति धर्मात्मा यमः संयमनो महान्

Transliteration

rājovāca | tatra dharmapuraṃ gatvā vicarantāvitastataḥ | yadi pṛcchati dharmātmā yamaḥ saṃyamano mahān

Translation

ພຣະຣາຊາກ່າວວ່າ: “ເມື່ອໄປເຖິງນະຄອນແຫ່ງທຳ ຈົ່ງທ່ອງໄປມາທົ່ວໆ. ຖ້າພຣະຍົມຜູ້ມີຈິດໃນທຳ—ມະຫາສັງຍະມະໂນ ຜູ້ຄວບຄຸມອັນຍິ່ງ—ຖາມພວກເຈົ້າ…”

Word by Word

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• धर्मपुरम्: the city of Dharma
• धर्मपुरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य पुरम्)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• विचरन्तौ: wandering (you two)
• विचरन्तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√चर् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन

• इतस्: from here / on this side
• इतस्: Kriya-visheshana (Directional/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक (from here/this side)

• ततः: from there / then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Directional/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक/क्रमवाचक (from there/then)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तवाचक (conditional conjunction)

• पृच्छति: asks
• पृच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• धर्मात्मा: righteous-souled
• धर्मात्मा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (धर्मः आत्मा यस्य)

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• संयमनः: the restrainer (Saṃyamana)
• संयमनः: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; उपाधि/नाम

• महान्: great
• महान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (यमः इति)

Speaker

Rājā (the king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmapura

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king instructs the envoys: enter Dharmapura, observe carefully, and be prepared if Yama questions them—an atmosphere of solemn protocol before a cosmic court.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Dharmapura
• Saṃyamana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma governs all realms; even in Yama’s city, inquiry and accountability operate under righteous order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate setting is Dharmapura (Yama’s city); the broader Revā Khaṇḍa frame continues to glorify dharmic acts linked to sacred places.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed here; the emphasis is on correct conduct and truthful reporting when questioned.