Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

धर्मात्मजस्तदा तात धर्मारण्यं समाविशत् । महापातकनाशाय साधुपालनत त्परः

Transliteration

dharmātmajastadā tāta dharmāraṇyaṃ samāviśat | mahāpātakanāśāya sādhupālanata tparaḥ

Translation

അപ്പോൾ, ഹേ പ്രിയനേ, ധർമ്മപുത്രൻ ധർമ്മാരണ്യത്തിൽ പ്രവേശിച്ചു—മഹാപാതകനാശത്തിനായി, സദ്ജനസംരക്ഷണത്തിൽ തത്പരനായി।

Word by Word

• धर्मात्मजः: the son of Dharma
• धर्मात्मजः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म-आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + आत्मज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य आत्मजः)

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

• तात: O dear (father/son), O sir
• तात: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• धर्मारण्यं: the Dharma-forest (Dharmāraṇya)
• धर्मारण्यं: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म-अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + अरण्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य अरण्यम्)

• समाविशत्: entered
• समाविशत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-विश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• महापातकनाशाय: for the destruction of great sins
• महापातकनाशाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Purpose-Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महापातक-नाश (प्रातिपदिक; महा + पातक + नाश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महापातकस्य नाशः)

• साधुपालनतत्परः: intent on protecting the virtuous
• साधुपालनतत्परः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साधु-पालन-तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक; साधु + पालन + तत्पर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (साधूनां पालनं तस्मिन् तत्परः)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced: Purāṇic narration style within Brāhma-khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dharma-born royal figure enters a sacred forest (Dharmāraṇya), accompanied by attendants and ascetics; the atmosphere is charged with vows, protection of sages, and the intent to burn away great sins.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Dharmāraṇya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approaching a sacred place with dharmic intent—protecting the good and seeking purification—destroys even grave sins.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya, praised as a sanctifying sacred forest-region within this section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; the emphasis is on entering the holy place with the purpose of sin-destruction and dharmic protection.