Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

धर्मे धरा च नाकश्च धर्मे पातालमेव च । धर्मे चंद्रार्कमापश्च धर्मे च पवनोऽनलः

Transliteration

dharme dharā ca nākaśca dharme pātālameva ca | dharme caṃdrārkamāpaśca dharme ca pavano'nalaḥ

Translation

ധർമ്മത്തിൽ തന്നെയാണ് ഭൂമിയും സ്വർഗവും നിലകൊള്ളുന്നത്; ധർമ്മത്തിൽ പാതാളവും. ധർമ്മത്തിൽ ചന്ദ്രസൂര്യന്മാരും ജലവും; ധർമ്മത്തിൽ വായുവും അഗ്നിയും.

Word by Word

• धर्मे: in dharma / in righteousness
• धर्मे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• धरा: the earth
• धरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• नाकः: heaven
• नाकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• धर्मे: in dharma
• धर्मे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• पातालम्: the netherworld
• पातालम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Nipāta (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• धर्मे: in dharma
• धर्मे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• चन्द्रार्कम्: the moon and the sun
• चन्द्रार्कम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र + अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः: द्वन्द्व (चन्द्रश्च अर्कश्च = moon and sun; collective)

• आपः: the waters
• आपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्/आप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (बहुवचनान्त-प्रातिपदिक), प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• धर्मे: in dharma
• धर्मे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• पवनः: wind
• पवनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अनलः: fire
• अनलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Yudhiṣṭhira (continuing his address/questioning tone across vv. 78–80)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira (contextually)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: earth, heaven, and netherworld held together by an unseen pillar called Dharma; sun and moon revolve; waters flow; wind moves; fire blazes—all resting in dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Earth (dharā)
• Heaven (nāka)
• Pātāla
• Moon (caṃdra)
• Sun (arka)
• Waters (āpaḥ)
• Wind (pavana)
• Fire (anala)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is portrayed as the cosmic foundation sustaining all realms and elements; aligning with Dharma aligns with the universe’s order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is philosophical rather than geographic; within Dharmāraṇya Māhātmya it supports the sanctity of the place by linking it to universal Dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a doctrinal statement on Dharma as the support of creation.