Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

युधिष्ठिर उवाच । रक्षसां चैव दैत्यानां यक्षणामथ पक्षिणाम् । भयनाशाय काजेशैर्धर्मारण्यनिवासिनाम्

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | rakṣasāṃ caiva daityānāṃ yakṣaṇāmatha pakṣiṇām | bhayanāśāya kājeśairdharmāraṇyanivāsinām

Translation

ยุธิษฐิระกล่าวว่า: เพื่อทำลายความหวาดกลัวที่เกิดจากรากษส ไทตยะ ยักษะ และแม้แต่นกทั้งหลาย—ขอท่านจงบอกมาตรการที่เหล่าเจ้าแห่งกาชேศะได้สถาปนาไว้แก่ผู้พำนักในธรรมารัณยะ

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रक्षसाम्: of the rākṣasas/demons
• रक्षसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

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

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• दैत्यानाम्: of the daityas
• दैत्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• यक्षाणाम्: of the yakṣas
• यक्षाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• अथ: then, and also
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक/प्रसङ्गार्थक-अव्यय (then/now)

• पक्षिणाम्: of birds
• पक्षिणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• भयनाशाय: for the destruction of fear
• भयनाशाय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भयनाश (प्रातिपदिक; भय + नाश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ (for the purpose of)

• काजेशैः: by the Kājeśas (lords named Kājeśa)
• काजेशैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काजेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• धर्मारण्यनिवासिनाम्: of the dwellers in Dharmāraṇya
• धर्मारण्यनिवासिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मारण्यनिवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक; धर्मारण्य + निवासिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

Speaker

Yudhiṣṭhira

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yudhiṣṭhira, seated respectfully before Vyāsa, asks about fear-destroying measures against rākṣasas, daityas, yakṣas, and ominous birds in Dharmāraṇya; the forest looms with shadowy presences at the margins.

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Rākṣasa
• Daitya
• Yakṣa
• Kājeśa
• Dharmāraṇya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places are portrayed as protected realms where divine arrangements dispel fear and disorder for residents and pilgrims.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya itself—the holy forest section being described in this part of the Brahmakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it introduces an inquiry about protective measures/guardian powers established for the region.