Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

धर्मालये गतः सद्यो यत्र माला कमंडलुः । पुरा धर्मेण सुमहत्कृतं यत्र तपो मुने

Transliteration

dharmālaye gataḥ sadyo yatra mālā kamaṃḍaluḥ | purā dharmeṇa sumahatkṛtaṃ yatra tapo mune

Translation

ତାପରେ ସେ ସତ୍ୱର ଧର୍ମାଳୟକୁ ଗଲେ—ଯେଉଁଠାରେ ମାଳା ଓ କମଣ୍ଡଲୁ ପୂଜ୍ୟ; ହେ ମୁନି, ପୁରାତନକାଳରେ ସେଠାରେ ସ୍ୱୟଂ ଧର୍ମ ମହାତପ କରିଥିଲେ।

Word by Word

• धर्मालये: in the abode of Dharma
• धर्मालये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (धर्मस्य आलयः)

• गतः: having gone
• गतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोग

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Relative location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक/देशवाचक (relative adverb: where)

• माला: garland
• माला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कमण्डलुः: water-pot (ascetic’s vessel)
• कमण्डलुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमण्डलु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kriya-vishesana (Temporal/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (formerly)

• धर्मेण: by Dharma
• धर्मेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• सुमहत्: very great
• सुमहत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कृतम्: done/performed
• कृतम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Relative location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक/देशवाचक (where)

• तपः: austerity/penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Brāhma Khaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmālaya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: muni (addressed as 'O sage')

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A quiet hermitage-kshetra called Dharmālaya: a revered garland and kamaṇḍalu displayed or enshrined; the atmosphere suggests Dharma’s ancient austerities lingering in the grove.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmālaya
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A place becomes a tīrtha through tapas and the presence of dharma—ascetic symbols and remembered austerities sanctify the landscape.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

Dharmālaya, explicitly named as a sacred destination within Dharmāraṇya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; it highlights tapas as the sanctifying act and signals Dharmālaya as a pilgrimage site.