Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

नाशयंति मनुष्याणां सर्वपापानि लीलया । तीर्थानां परमं तीर्थं धर्मारण्यं प्रचक्षते

Transliteration

nāśayaṃti manuṣyāṇāṃ sarvapāpāni līlayā | tīrthānāṃ paramaṃ tīrthaṃ dharmāraṇyaṃ pracakṣate

Translation

ସେମାନେ ମନୁଷ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କର ସମସ୍ତ ପାପକୁ ଯେନ ଲୀଳାମାତ୍ରେ ନଶାଇଦିଅନ୍ତି। ସମସ୍ତ ତୀର୍ଥମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଧର୍ମାରଣ୍ୟକୁ ପରମ ତୀର୍ଥ ବୋଲି ପ୍ରଚାର କରାଯାଇଛି।

Word by Word

• नाशयन्ति: destroy/remove
• नाशयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु) [णिच् causative: नाशय]
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• मनुष्याणाम्: of men
• मनुष्याणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• सर्वपापानि: all sins
• सर्वपापानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; ‘सर्वाणि पापानि’ इति कर्मधारय

• लीलया: effortlessly/as a play
• लीलया: Karana (Manner/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तीर्थानाम्: of holy places
• तीर्थानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘तीर्थम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• तीर्थम्: holy place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• धर्मारण्यम्: Dharmāraṇya
• धर्मारण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘धर्मस्य अरण्यम्’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्थाननाम)

• प्रचक्षते: declare/call
• प्रचक्षते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Unknown (Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa narrative voice; speaker not explicit in excerpt)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic vision of Dharmāraṇya as a radiant sacred forest filled with tīrthas; sins appear as dark forms dissolving playfully in the kṣetra’s light, emphasizing ‘līlayā’ destruction.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmāraṇya
• Tīrthas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest tīrtha is defined by its power to dissolve sin effortlessly, drawing pilgrims toward dharma-centered sacred landscapes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is explicitly proclaimed the supreme tīrtha among all tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No single ritual is prescribed here; the verse concludes the māhātmya by declaring Dharmāraṇya’s unsurpassed purifying power.