Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 23
युधिष्ठिर उवाच । धर्मारण्येति त्रिदशैः कदा नाम प्रतिष्ठितम् । पावनं भूतले जातं कस्मात्तेन विनिर्मितम्
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | dharmāraṇyeti tridaśaiḥ kadā nāma pratiṣṭhitam | pāvanaṃ bhūtale jātaṃ kasmāttena vinirmitam
யுதிஷ்டிரர் கூறினார்—தேவர்கள் ‘தர்ம்மாரண்ய’ என்ற பெயரால் இதை எப்போது நிறுவினர்? இந்தப் புனிதத் தலம் பூமியில் எந்தக் காரணத்தால் தோன்றியது, எந்த நோக்கத்தால் உருவாக்கப்பட்டது?
Yudhiṣṭhira
Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya
Type: kshetra
Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira
Scene: Court/āśrama dialogue: Yudhiṣṭhira seated respectfully, hands in añjali, asking a sage/narrator about Dharmāraṇya’s founding; behind them, a symbolic vision of devas establishing a forest-kshetra on earth.
FAQs
Sacred geography is rooted in divine establishment and purpose; understanding a tīrtha’s origin deepens faith and right practice.
Dharmāraṇya—specifically its divine naming, establishment, and origin on earth.
None; this verse introduces an inquiry that typically precedes the tīrtha’s origin narrative and associated rites.