Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

वांछंति तर्प्पणं कूपे धर्मारण्ये विशुद्धये । दानवेन्द्र शरीरं तु तीर्थं तव भविष्यति

Transliteration

vāṃchaṃti tarppaṇaṃ kūpe dharmāraṇye viśuddhaye | dānavendra śarīraṃ tu tīrthaṃ tava bhaviṣyati

Translation

ധർമ്മാരണ്യത്തിൽ ശുദ്ധിക്കായി ജനങ്ങൾ ആ കിണറ്റിൽ തർപ്പണം ചെയ്യാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കും. ഹേ ദാനവേന്ദ്രാ, നിന്റെ ശരീരമേ ഭാവിയിൽ തീർത്ഥമാകും.

Word by Word

• वाञ्छन्ति: they desire
• वाञ्छन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वाञ्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तर्पणम्: libation/oblatory offering
• तर्पणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर्पण (प्रातिपदिक; √तृप् धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• कूपे: in the well
• कूपे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• धर्मारण्ये: in Dharmāraṇya (the sacred forest)
• धर्मारण्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + अरण्य (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• विशुद्धये: for purification
• विशुद्धये: Sampradana (Purpose/Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), चतुर्थी (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• दानवेन्द्र: O lord of the Dānavas
• दानवेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शरीरम्: body
• शरीरम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ (contrast/emphasis)

• तीर्थम्: a sacred ford/pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• भविष्यति: will become
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Brahmā (continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya-kūpa (well of Dharmāraṇya)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dānava-indra / dānava-adhipa (lord of Dānavas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A shaded forest tīrtha: a stone-lined well with clear water; pilgrims with kuśa grass and water-vessels perform tarpaṇa; a subdued, awe-filled hint of a Dānava-lord’s form transmuting into sacred geography.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Dharmāraṇya
• Kūpa
• Dānavendra (Lohāsura)
• Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic sacred geography often arises from moral power and divine boons—transforming even a being’s body into a lasting source of merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The kūpa (sacred well) in Dharmāraṇya and the tīrtha that will arise from the Dānavendra’s body.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tarpaṇa at the sacred well for purification (viśuddhi).