Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

धर्मारण्यकथां दिव्यां तथैव सुमनोहराम् । धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां फलदात्रीं तथैव च

Transliteration

dharmāraṇyakathāṃ divyāṃ tathaiva sumanoharām | dharmārthakāmamokṣāṇāṃ phaladātrīṃ tathaiva ca

Translation

ധർമ്മാരണ്യത്തിന്റെ ആ ദിവ്യകഥ അത്യന്തം മനോഹരമാണ്; അത് ധർമ്മം, അർത്ഥം, കാമം, മോക്ഷം എന്നീ നാലു പുരുഷാർത്ഥങ്ങളുടെ ഫലം നൽകുന്നതായി പ്രസിദ്ധമാണ്.

Word by Word

• धर्मारण्यकथाम्: the Dharmāraṇya story
• धर्मारण्यकथाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मारण्य + कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धर्मारण्यस्य कथा = 'story of Dharmāraṇya')

• दिव्याम्: divine
• दिव्याम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha/Connector (Linker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/तुल्यतावाचक-अव्यय (particle: 'also/likewise')

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha/Connector (Linker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• सुमनोहराम्: very delightful
• सुमनोहराम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय (विशेषण-विशेष्य: 'very' + 'charming')

• धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणाम्: of dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa
• धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + अर्थ + काम + मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (copulative: dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa)

• फलदात्रीम्: bestowing results
• फलदात्रीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फल + दात्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (फलस्य दात्री = 'giver of fruits/results')

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha/Connector (Linker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/तुल्यतावाचक-अव्यय (particle: 'also/likewise')

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Connector (Linker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

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

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) [deduced]

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dharma (contextual) / assembled sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant manuscript-like vision: Vyāsa’s divine narration appears as a luminous stream; listeners’ faces show delight and serenity, while symbolic emblems of the four puruṣārthas (dharma-wheel, prosperity, love, liberation-light) appear subtly in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmāraṇya
• Puruṣārthas (Dharma, Artha, Kāma, Mokṣa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Dharmāraṇya Māhātmya is presented as a complete path: it supports worldly wellbeing and culminates in liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya itself is glorified through its kathā, which is said to grant the four puruṣārthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Kathā-śravaṇa (listening to the Dharmāraṇya narrative) is the implied observance; no separate vrata or dāna is specified in this verse.