Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

एवं प्रनषणं नष्टास्ते गताश्च दिशो दिश । धर्मारण्ये न तिष्ठंति वाडवा वणिजोऽपि वा

Transliteration

evaṃ pranaṣaṇaṃ naṣṭāste gatāśca diśo diśa | dharmāraṇye na tiṣṭhaṃti vāḍavā vaṇijo'pi vā

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ അവർ പൂർണ്ണമായി ആശയക്കുഴപ്പത്തിലായി വഴിതെറ്റി ദിക്കുദിക്കായി പോയി. ധർമാരണ്യത്തിൽ കുതിരവ്യാപാരികളും ഇല്ല, വണികരും പോലും അവിടെ നിലനിന്നില്ല।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus/in this way
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• प्रनषणम्: into ruin/utterly lost
• प्रनषणम्: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र-नश् (धातु) + प्रनशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक (भाववाचक, ‘perishing/ruin’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (accusative of manner)

• नष्टाः: ruined/lost
• नष्टाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु) + नष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘अस्मि’ लुप्त

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• गताः: went
• गताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘अस्मि’ लुप्त

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

• दिशः: directions
• दिशः: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• दिशः: (to) various directions
• दिशः: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

• धर्मारण्ये: in Dharmāraṇya (the forest)
• धर्मारण्ये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (धर्मस्य अरण्यम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negator/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• तिष्ठन्ति: they stay/remain
• तिष्ठन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• वाडवाः: Vāḍavas (a people/group)
• वाडवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाडव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• वणिजः: merchants
• वणिजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वणिज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवादार्थक निपात (particle: also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Disjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration; likely Vyāsa continuing the account)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A chaotic dispersal: people running in different directions through the forest; abandoned packs; a sense of panic; Dharmāraṇya looming as vast and indifferent.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmāraṇya
• Vāḍavāḥ (horse-traders)
• Vaṇijaḥ (merchants)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When adharma or hostile forces prevail, even thriving human activity withdraws; sacred places can become inaccessible until restored.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is the focal sacred region, described as becoming untenable for travelers and traders.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.