Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

निर्मानुषवनं चेदं सिंहव्याघ्रभयानकम् । आश्चर्यं परमं ज्ञात्वा धर्मराजोऽब्रवीदिदम्

Transliteration

nirmānuṣavanaṃ cedaṃ siṃhavyāghrabhayānakam | āścaryaṃ paramaṃ jñātvā dharmarājo'bravīdidam

Translation

‘ഈ വനം മനുഷ്യരഹിതം; സിംഹ-വ്യാഘ്രങ്ങളാൽ ഭയങ്കരം.’ ഇതിനെ പരമ അത്ഭുതമായി അറിഞ്ഞ് ധർമ്മരാജൻ ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞു।

Word by Word

• nir-mānuṣa-vanam: a humanless forest
• nir-mānuṣa-vanam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nir (उपसर्ग) + mānuṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (nir-mānuṣam vanam = 'a forest devoid of humans')

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपातः

• idam: this
• idam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• siṃha-vyāghra-bhayānakam: terrifying with lions and tigers
• siṃha-vyāghra-bhayānakam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: siṃha (प्रातिपदिक) + vyāghra (प्रातिपदिक) + bhayānaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (siṃha-vyāghrayor bhayānakam = 'terrifying because of lions and tigers')

• āścaryam: a wonder
• āścaryam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āścarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेष्य-भावः ('as a wonder')

• paramam: supreme, great
• paramam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (āścaryam)

• jñātvā: having understood/known
• jñātvā: Pūrvakāla (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √jñā (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund)

• dharmarājaḥ: Dharmarāja (Yama)
• dharmarājaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma-rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: a√brū (धातु; √brū)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• idam: this (statement)
• idam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; following Vyāsa’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇyaka (narrative forest)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dramatic forest: dense trees, shadows, visible lions and tigers at a distance; Dharmarāja stands alert yet composed, turning to speak after recognizing the marvel of an apsaras appearing in such a place.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmarāja (Yama)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual inquiry arises when one recognizes the unusual nature of circumstances and seeks truth rather than assumption.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha appears in this verse; it emphasizes the araṇya (forest) setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.