Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

ततः प्रोवाच वचनं धर्मो धर्मभृतां वरः । शृण्वतां धर्मपालानां मेघगम्भीरया गिरा

Transliteration

tataḥ provāca vacanaṃ dharmo dharmabhṛtāṃ varaḥ | śṛṇvatāṃ dharmapālānāṃ meghagambhīrayā girā

Translation

แล้วธรรมะ—ผู้ประเสริฐยิ่งในหมู่ผู้ทรงธรรม—ได้กล่าวถ้อยคำแก่เหล่าธรรมบาลผู้กำลังสดับ ด้วยสุรเสียงทุ้มลึกดุจเสียงครืนของเมฆ

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय

• प्रोवाच: spoke forth
• प्रोवाच: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वचनम्: a statement
• वचनम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धर्मः: Dharma
• धर्मः: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धर्मभृताम्: of the upholders of dharma
• धर्मभृताम्: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + भृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः: धर्मं बिभ्रति ये (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• वरः: the best
• वरः: विशेषण (Predicate/epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; धर्मस्य विशेषणम्

• शृण्वताम्: of those who were listening
• शृण्वताम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive absolute-like)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'शृण्वताम्' = 'of those listening'

• धर्मपालानाम्: of the guardians of dharma
• धर्मपालानाम्: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः: धर्मस्य पालकाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• मेघगम्भीरया: deep like a cloud
• मेघगम्भीरया: विशेषण (Qualifier of girā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेघ + गम्भीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः: मेघ इव गम्भीरा (कर्मधारय)

• गिरा: with (his) voice
• गिरा: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिर्/गीर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Dharma (personified)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dharma appears as a radiant, austere figure (or as a dignified sage-like embodiment), addressing dharmapālas; the air seems to vibrate like thunder as he begins his pronouncement.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Dharmapāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is not merely abstract; in Purāṇic narrative it is a living authority that proclaims the rule of righteousness and its sacred exceptions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The speech introduces the proclamation that will glorify Śukla Tīrtha on the Narmadā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No rite is stated yet; the verse signals an authoritative declaration about a tīrtha’s spiritual jurisdiction.