Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

तन्मेब्रूहि सुरश्रेष्ठ व्रतं नियममेव वा । तीर्थं वा जपहोमं वा सर्वलोकसुखावहम्

Transliteration

tanmebrūhi suraśreṣṭha vrataṃ niyamameva vā | tīrthaṃ vā japahomaṃ vā sarvalokasukhāvaham

Translation

ഹേ സുരശ്രേഷ്ഠാ! എനിക്കു പറയുക—സകല ലോകങ്ങൾക്കും സുഖ-കല്യാണം നൽകുന്ന വ്രതമോ നിയമമോ, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ തീർത്ഥമോ, ജപ-ഹോമമോ.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• मे: to me / for me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन; दातृसम्बन्धे (for me)

• ब्रूहि: tell
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• सुरश्रेष्ठ: O best of gods
• सुरश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; संबोधनपद

• व्रतम्: vow
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नियमम्: observance / rule
• नियमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• तीर्थम्: pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय

• जपहोमम्: recitation and fire-offering
• जपहोमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप + होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (japa and homa)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय

• सर्वलोकसुखावहम्: bringing happiness to all worlds
• सर्वलोकसुखावहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + लोक + सुख + आवह (प्रातिपदिक; √वह् (धातु) उपसर्ग-आ णिनि/अच्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of the requested means)

Speaker

Brāhmaṇa (addressing Yama)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee respectfully asks a radiant deity or exalted sage for the best vow/discipline/tīrtha practice; the background hints at ritual fire, rosary, and a river/temple—options named in the question.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Yama (implied as suraśreṣṭha in this dialogue)
• Tīrtha
• Japa
• Homa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The seeker asks for a single, most effective dharmic practice—vrata, discipline, tīrtha, japa, or homa—that benefits both self and cosmos.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse asks about a tīrtha in principle; no named location appears in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vrata (vow), niyama (discipline), tīrtha-sevā (pilgrimage/holy site), japa (chanting), and homa (fire offering) are listed as candidate practices.