Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

धर्मारण्यात्परं नास्ति भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकम् । स्वर्गे देवाः प्रशंसंति धर्मारण्यनिवासिनः

Transliteration

dharmāraṇyātparaṃ nāsti bhuktimuktipradāyakam | svarge devāḥ praśaṃsaṃti dharmāraṇyanivāsinaḥ

Translation

ഭോഗവും മോക്ഷവും നൽകുന്നതിൽ ധർമാരണ്യത്തേക്കാൾ മേലൊന്നുമില്ല. സ്വർഗ്ഗത്തിലും ദേവന്മാർ ധർമാരണ്യ-നിവാസികളെ പ്രശംസിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• धर्मारण्यात्: from Dharmāraṇya
• धर्मारण्यात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादान (ablative: from)

• परम्: superior (anything better)
• परम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (implicit neuter: 'anything superior')

• न: not
• न: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अस्ति: exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; अस्तित्ववाचक

• भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकम्: bestowing enjoyment and liberation
• भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुक्ति + मुक्ति + प्रदायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (परम्/धर्मारण्यस्य गुणः)

• स्वर्गे: in heaven
• स्वर्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्ता

• प्रशंसन्ति: praise
• प्रशंसन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-शंस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• धर्मारण्यनिवासिनः: the residents of Dharmāraṇya
• धर्मारण्यनिवासिनः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मारण्य + निवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्म/विषय (those being praised)

Speaker

Vasiṣṭha (contextual; praising Dharmāraṇya to Rāma)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas in svarga extolling the merit of those who dwell in Dharmāraṇya; below, serene ascetics and householders living in a sacred forest near tīrtha waters, embodying both prosperity and renunciation.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmāraṇya
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A supreme tīrtha harmonizes dharma with both life’s aims—bhukti (well-being) and mukti (liberation).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya, presented as unmatched among sacred places.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse highlights residence (nivāsa) as meritorious; no specific dāna/snānā/japa is stated.