Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

यावत्पापानि देहेन ये कुर्वंति जनाः क्षितौ । अयोध्या परमं स्थानं तेषामीरितमादरात्

Transliteration

yāvatpāpāni dehena ye kurvaṃti janāḥ kṣitau | ayodhyā paramaṃ sthānaṃ teṣāmīritamādarāt

Translation

ഈ ഭൂമിയിൽ മനുഷ്യർ ദേഹത്താൽ എത്ര പാപങ്ങൾ ചെയ്താലും, അവരുടെക്കായി അയോധ്യയെ പരമസ്ഥാനമെന്നു ആദരത്തോടെ പ്രസ്താവിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• यावत्: as many as
• यावत्: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधिवाचक अव्यय (as much as; whatever amount)

• पापानि: sins
• पापानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• देहेन: with the body
• देहेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• कुर्वन्ति: do; commit
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपदी, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• क्षितौ: on earth
• क्षितौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अर्थः—“पृथिव्याम्” (on earth)

• अयोध्या: Ayodhya
• अयोध्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयोध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to स्थानम्)

• स्थानम्: abode
• स्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तेषाम्: for them; of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• ईरितम्: is declared
• ईरितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अर्थः—“उक्तम्/प्रकीर्तितम्” (declared)

• आदरात्: with reverence
• आदरात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण हेत्वर्थे अव्ययीभूत-प्रयोग (ablative used adverbially): “आदरात्” (out of respect/earnestly)

Speaker

Varāha (deduced; Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A weary pilgrim burdened by symbolic chains/darkness enters Ayodhyā’s sacred boundary; the city radiates light; temples and riverfront appear as protective mandala; the burden visibly lightens.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ayodhyā is portrayed as a compassionate supreme refuge where even those burdened by sin can find the highest good.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā itself (as the paramount sacred abode).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the verse emphasizes Ayodhyā’s status as a revered, supreme spiritual refuge.