Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

सर्वेषामपि पुण्यानां सर्वेषां श्रेयसामपि । सर्वेषामपि यज्ञानां जपयज्ञः परः स्मृतः

Transliteration

sarveṣāmapi puṇyānāṃ sarveṣāṃ śreyasāmapi | sarveṣāmapi yajñānāṃ japayajñaḥ paraḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

सर्व पुण्यांमध्ये, सर्व श्रेयसाधनांमध्ये आणि सर्व यज्ञांमध्ये—जपयज्ञ हा परम मानला आहे।

Word by Word

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• अपि: even; also
• अपि: Emphasis/Connector (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक निपात (also/even)

• पुण्यानाम्: of merits/virtuous acts
• पुण्यानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• श्रेयसाम्: of beneficial things/goods
• श्रेयसाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• अपि: even; also
• अपि: Emphasis/Connector (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also/even)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• अपि: even; also
• अपि: Emphasis/Connector (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also/even)

• यज्ञानाम्: of sacrifices
• यज्ञानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• जपयज्ञः: the sacrifice of japa (repetition)
• जपयज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक); जपयज्ञ (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (जपः एव यज्ञः / जपेन यज्ञः)

• परः: supreme
• परः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्मृतः: is regarded (as)
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + त (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकृत् (क्त-प्रत्यय) कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे अर्थे ('is considered/remembered')

Speaker

Sūta

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau contrasting outer yajña implements with a sage holding a japa-mālā, indicating japa as the highest sacrifice.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Japa
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner sacrifice—steady mantra repetition—is elevated above external ritual as the most effective dharmic offering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse glorifies a portable ‘tīrtha-like’ practice: japa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa is explicitly praised as the foremost yajña, encouraging regular mantra repetition as a primary sādhana.