Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

धर्मारण्यात्परं नास्ति भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकम् । स्वर्गे देवाः प्रशंसंति धर्मारण्यनिवासिनः

Transliteration

dharmāraṇyātparaṃ nāsti bhuktimuktipradāyakam | svarge devāḥ praśaṃsaṃti dharmāraṇyanivāsinaḥ

Translation

Tiada yang mengatasi Dharmāraṇya sebagai pemberi bhukti (kenikmatan dunia) dan mukti (pembebasan). Bahkan di syurga pun para dewa memuji mereka yang menetap di Dharmāraṇya.

Word by Word

• धर्मारण्यात्: from Dharmāraṇya
• धर्मारण्यात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादान (ablative: from)

• परम्: superior (anything better)
• परम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (implicit neuter: 'anything superior')

• न: not
• न: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अस्ति: exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; अस्तित्ववाचक

• भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकम्: bestowing enjoyment and liberation
• भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुक्ति + मुक्ति + प्रदायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (परम्/धर्मारण्यस्य गुणः)

• स्वर्गे: in heaven
• स्वर्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्ता

• प्रशंसन्ति: praise
• प्रशंसन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-शंस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• धर्मारण्यनिवासिनः: the residents of Dharmāraṇya
• धर्मारण्यनिवासिनः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मारण्य + निवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्म/विषय (those being praised)

Speaker

Vasiṣṭha (contextual; praising Dharmāraṇya to Rāma)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas in svarga extolling the merit of those who dwell in Dharmāraṇya; below, serene ascetics and householders living in a sacred forest near tīrtha waters, embodying both prosperity and renunciation.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmāraṇya
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A supreme tīrtha harmonizes dharma with both life’s aims—bhukti (well-being) and mukti (liberation).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya, presented as unmatched among sacred places.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse highlights residence (nivāsa) as meritorious; no specific dāna/snānā/japa is stated.