Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

स नारदोऽथ विप्रर्षिर्ब्रह्मलोकचरोऽव्ययः । आगतोऽथ पुरीं हर्षाद्धर्मराजेन पालिताम्

Transliteration

sa nārado'tha viprarṣirbrahmalokacaro'vyayaḥ | āgato'tha purīṃ harṣāddharmarājena pālitām

Translation

ആ നാരദൻ—വിപ്രർഷി, ബ്രഹ്മലോകത്തിൽ സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്നവൻ, അവ്യയൻ—അപ്പോൾ ഹർഷത്തോടെ ധർമ്മരാജൻ പാലിക്കുന്ന നഗരിയിലേക്കു വന്നു.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/सम्बन्ध-बोधक (then/now)

• विप्र-ऋषिः: the brahmin sage
• विप्र-ऋषिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—विप्रः ऋषिः (कर्मधारय)

• ब्रह्मलोक-चरः: moving in Brahmaloka
• ब्रह्मलोक-चरः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मलोक (प्रातिपदिक) + चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—ब्रह्मलोके चरः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• अव्ययः: imperishable
• अव्ययः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• आगतः: having come/arrived
• आगतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु) → आगत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि/भूतार्थे (having come)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम-बोधक

• पुरीम्: to the city
• पुरीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• हर्षात्: out of joy
• हर्षात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ (cause)

• धर्मराजेन: by Dharmarāja (Yama)
• धर्मराजेन: Karana/Karta (Agent in passive/करण-कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—धर्मस्य राजा (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• पालिताम्: protected/ruled
• पालिताम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाल् (धातु) → पालित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘पुरीम्’ इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; specific speaker not explicit in the verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada descending into a fortified, orderly city; banners of dharma, calm citizens, palace gates opening; the atmosphere bright with auspiciousness as he arrives joyfully.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Brahmaloka
• Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Purī (city)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The presence of great sages is a blessing; righteous rule (Dharmarāja) attracts auspicious visitors and dharmic instruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse mentions a ‘city protected by Dharmarāja’ but does not explicitly name a tīrtha or sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it sets the scene for a dharma-dialogue through the sage’s arrival.