Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

वसंति वाडवा यत्र यजंति चैव याज्ञिकाः । वेदनिर्घोषसंयुक्तं भाति तत्तीर्थमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

vasaṃti vāḍavā yatra yajaṃti caiva yājñikāḥ | vedanirghoṣasaṃyuktaṃ bhāti tattīrthamuttamam

Translation

యెక్కడ వాడవులు నివసిస్తారో, యెక్కడ యాజ్ఞికులు నిరంతరం యజ్ఞాలు నిర్వహిస్తారో, యెక్కడ వేదనాదం మార్మోగుతుందో—ఆ తీర్థం పరమోత్తమంగా ప్రకాశిస్తుంది।

Word by Word

• वसन्ति: they dwell/live
• वसन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• वाडवाः: the Vāḍavas (people)
• वाडवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाडव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (relative adverb of place)

• यजन्ति: they worship/sacrifice
• यजन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

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

• याज्ञिकाः: sacrificers/ritualists
• याज्ञिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याज्ञिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वेदनिर्घोषसंयुक्तम्: accompanied by the sound/recitation of the Vedas
• वेदनिर्घोषसंयुक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + निर्घोष (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त; √युज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective)

• भाति: shines/appears
• भाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम; विशेषण (demonstrative)

• तीर्थम्: pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उत्तमम्: excellent/supreme
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

Speaker

Yama

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant forest-tīrtha with multiple yajña-vedīs, smoke of oblations rising, groups of Vāḍava brāhmaṇas chanting Veda in antiphonal cadence; the whole grove appears to ‘shine’ from the sonic sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Dharmāraṇya tīrtha
• Vāḍavāḥ
• Yājñikāḥ
• Veda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A holy place becomes radiant when Vedic learning, chanting, and yajña are actively maintained there.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya-tīrtha, characterized by Vedic recitation and sacrificial activity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of yajña by yājñikas and sustaining Vedic recitation (veda-nirghoṣa) are highlighted as sanctifying practices.