Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

धर्मारण्ये यथा कूपं शूलभेदं च तत्समम् । ब्रह्मयूपं यथा पुण्यं देवनद्यास्तथैव च

Transliteration

dharmāraṇye yathā kūpaṃ śūlabhedaṃ ca tatsamam | brahmayūpaṃ yathā puṇyaṃ devanadyāstathaiva ca

Translation

ధర్మారణ్యంలో ఉన్న పవిత్ర కూపం ఎంత పుణ్యమో, శూలభేదం కూడా అంతే సమానం. అలాగే బ్రహ్మయూపం ఎంత పుణ్యప్రదమో, దేవనది కూడా అంతే పవిత్రం.

Word by Word

• धर्म-अरण्ये: in Dharmāraṇya
• धर्म-अरण्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन = Neuter, Locative singular; तत्पुरुष ('धर्मस्य अरण्यम्')

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative link)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपमान/प्रकार) = 'as'

• कूपम्: a well
• कूपम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन = Masculine, Nom./Acc. singular

• शूल-भेदम्: Śūlabheda (name of a tīrtha)
• शूल-भेदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक) + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन = Masculine, Nom./Acc. singular; तत्पुरुष ('शूलस्य भेदः/भेदनम्')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) = conjunction

• तत्-समम्: equal to that
• तत्-समम्: Visheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन = Neuter, Nom./Acc. singular; तत्पुरुष ('तस्य समम्')

• ब्रह्म-यूपम्: Brahmayūpa
• ब्रह्म-यूपम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + यूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन = Masculine, Nom./Acc. singular; तत्पुरुष ('ब्रह्मणः यूपः')

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative link)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपमान/प्रकार) = 'as'

• पुण्यम्: holy/meritorious
• पुण्यम्: Visheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन = Neuter, Nom./Acc. singular; predicate adjective

• देव-नद्याः: of the divine river
• देव-नद्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन = Feminine, Genitive singular; तत्पुरुष ('देवानां नदी')

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Comparative link)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकार/समुच्चय) = 'thus/likewise'

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण) = emphatic particle

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) = conjunction

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya-kūpa; Śūlabheda; Brahmayūpa; Devanadī

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A forest sanctuary (Dharmāraṇya) with a stone-lined well; nearby a dramatic Śūlabheda marker—perhaps a rock cleft by a trident sign. In a second tableau, a Brahmayūpa (sacrificial post) stands beside a shining Devanadī, personified as a river-goddess, both emitting equal halos.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmāraṇya
• Kūpa (sacred well)
• Śūlabheda
• Brahmayūpa
• Devanadī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma teaches comparative praise: multiple sites share equivalent sanctity, encouraging broad pilgrimage and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śūlabheda, Brahmayūpa, and Devanadī—each declared equal in holiness to well-known sacred benchmarks.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the verse focuses on tīrtha equivalence and merit.