Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

तथा चक्रहरेः पीठे मत्प्रीत्यै दानमुत्तमम् । जपहोमादिकं चापि कर्त्तव्यं यत्नतो नरैः

Transliteration

tathā cakrahareḥ pīṭhe matprītyai dānamuttamam | japahomādikaṃ cāpi karttavyaṃ yatnato naraiḥ

Translation

അതുപോലെ ചക്രഹരിയുടെ പീഠത്തിൽ എന്റെ പ്രീതിക്കായി നൽകുന്ന ദാനം അത്യുത്തമം; മനുഷ്യർ ജപം, ഹോമം മുതലായ കര്‍മ്മങ്ങളും പരിശ്രമത്തോടെ ചെയ്യേണ്ടതാണ്।

Word by Word

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘thus/likewise’)

• cakra-hareḥ: of Cakra-Hari (Vishnu)
• cakra-hareḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakra (प्रातिपदिक) + hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (cakra-dhārī hariḥ = ‘Hari bearing the discus’)

• pīṭhe: at the seat/shrine
• pīṭhe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pīṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• mat-prītyai: for my pleasure
• mat-prītyai: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + prīti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• dānam: gift/charity
• dānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• uttamam: excellent
• uttamam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘dānam’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• japa-homa-ādikam: japa, homa, and the like
• japa-homa-ādikam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: japa (प्रातिपदिक) + homa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (japa + homa) ततः ‘ādika’ सह समाहारः

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक-अव्यय (also/even)

• karttavyam: should be done
• karttavyam: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु) + tavya (प्रत्यय) → kartavya (कृदन्त)
• Form: भाव्य/कर्तव्यता (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘japa-homa-ādikam’ इत्यस्य विधेयविशेषणम्

• yatnataḥ: with effort
• yatnataḥ: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatnataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘with effort’)

• naraiḥ: by men
• naraiḥ: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced: Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa context—Brahmā addressing Nārada)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Cakrahari-pīṭha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Viṣṇu shrine marked by the Sudarśana-cakra emblem; devotees present gifts to brāhmaṇas and the poor, while a small homa-kunda burns and a japa-mālā is held by a worshipper.

Characters & Entities

• Cakrahari (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

At a Viṣṇu-kṣetra, integrated practice—charity plus mantra and fire-rites—becomes the highest offering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The pīṭha (sacred seat/shrine) of Cakrahari in Ayodhyā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna at Cakrahari’s shrine, along with japa (recitation) and homa (oblations), performed diligently.