Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

स्वर्लोकं च महश्चैव जनश्चैव तपस्तदा । आश्रयं सत्यलोकं च सर्वलोकमनुत्तमम्

Transliteration

svarlokaṃ ca mahaścaiva janaścaiva tapastadā | āśrayaṃ satyalokaṃ ca sarvalokamanuttamam

Translation

സ്വർലോകം, മഹർലോകം, ജനലോകം, തപോലോകം—ഇവയ്ക്കുമീതെ സത്യലോകം പരമാശ്രയം; സർവ്വലോകങ്ങളിലും അനുത്തമമായ ലോകമെന്നു പ്രഖ്യാപിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• स्वर्लोकम्: Svarga-loka (heavenly world)
• स्वर्लोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘स्वः-लोकः’ (स्वर्गलोकः)

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

• महत्: Maharloka
• महत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘महर्लोक’ इत्यर्थे

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle: indeed/just)

• जनः: Janaloka
• जनः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘जनलोक’ इत्यर्थे (छान्दस-रूपेण)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle)

• तपः: Tapoloka
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘तपोलोक’ इत्यर्थे (छान्दस-रूपेण)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• आश्रयम्: refuge/abode
• आश्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सत्यलोकम्: Satyaloka
• सत्यलोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘सत्यस्य लोकः’

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

• सर्वलोकम्: the entire world/all worlds
• सर्वलोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘सर्वः लोकः’

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वलोकस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; within Revā-khaṇḍa discourse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Satyaloka (Brahmaloka)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vertical cosmological diagram rendered as a sacred mountain/axis: Svarga below, then Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, and at the summit Satyaloka glowing as the supreme refuge.

Characters & Entities

• Svarga-loka
• Maharloka
• Janaloka
• Tapoloka
• Satyaloka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All worlds are graded, but the highest refuge is the realm of truth (Satyaloka), symbolizing ultimate purity and stability beyond lower pleasures.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tirtha is named; the verse emphasizes cosmic geography (lokas) rather than a terrestrial pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse provides doctrinal cosmology rather than a vrata or dāna instruction.