Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

तत्र स्नानं तथा दानं होमं वैष्णवमंत्रकम् । द्विजपूजां विष्णुपूजां कुर्वीत प्रयतो नरः

Transliteration

tatra snānaṃ tathā dānaṃ homaṃ vaiṣṇavamaṃtrakam | dvijapūjāṃ viṣṇupūjāṃ kurvīta prayato naraḥ

Translation

അവിടെ നിയന്ത്രണമുള്ളവൻ സ്നാനം, ദാനം, വൈഷ്ണവമന്ത്രങ്ങളോടെ ഹോമം ചെയ്യണം; കൂടാതെ ദ്വിജപൂജയും വിഷ്ണുപൂജയും ഭക്തിയോടെ നിർവഹിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (also/likewise)

• दानम्: charitable giving
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• होमम्: homa (fire-offering)
• होमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वैष्णवमन्त्रकम्: with a Vaiṣṇava mantra
• वैष्णवमन्त्रकम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव-मन्त्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—वैष्णवः मन्त्रकः इति कर्मधारयः; विशेषणम् (होमम्)

• द्विजपूजाम्: worship of Brahmins
• द्विजपूजाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—द्विजस्य पूजा इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• विष्णुपूजाम्: worship of Viṣṇu
• विष्णुपूजाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु-पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—विष्णोः पूजा इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• कुर्वीत: should perform
• कुर्वीत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; विधिः—‘should do’

• प्रयतः: disciplined/attentive
• प्रयतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रयत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (नरः)

• नरः: a man/person
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced: Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa dialogic style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rukmiṇīkuṇḍa

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: General instruction to ‘naraḥ’ (the pilgrim), within the muni-addressed discourse

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at the pond performing snāna; nearby a small homa-kuṇḍa with controlled flames; brāhmaṇas receiving offerings; a Viṣṇu shrine or icon at the edge with lamps and tulasī.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• dvija (twice-born/brāhmaṇas)
• Vaiṣṇava mantras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha merit is completed by a full dhārmic set: purification (snāna), generosity (dāna), worship (pūjā), and mantra-guided sacrifice (homa).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Rukmiṇī-kuṇḍa in Ayodhyā, where these Vaiṣṇava observances are recommended.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna, dāna, Vaiṣṇava-mantra homa, dvija-pūjā, and Viṣṇu-pūjā performed with discipline.