Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

स्थानानामुत्तमं स्थानं परं स्वस्त्ययनं महत् । स्कंदस्याग्रे पुरा प्रोक्तं महारुद्रेण धीमता

Transliteration

sthānānāmuttamaṃ sthānaṃ paraṃ svastyayanaṃ mahat | skaṃdasyāgre purā proktaṃ mahārudreṇa dhīmatā

Translation

ที่นี่เป็นสถานอันประเสริฐที่สุดในบรรดาสถานทั้งปวง—สูงสุด และเป็นบ่อเกิดแห่งสิริมงคลอันยิ่งใหญ่ กาลก่อน มหารุทรผู้ทรงปัญญาได้ประกาศไว้ต่อหน้าพระสกันทะ

Word by Word

• स्थानानाम्: of places
• स्थानानाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठī)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• उत्तमम्: best
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (स्थानम्)

• स्थानम्: place
• स्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (स्थानम्/स्वस्त्ययनम्)

• स्वस्त्ययनम्: path/means of welfare; auspicious refuge
• स्वस्त्ययनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वस्ति (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + अयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (स्वस्तेः अयनम्/स्वस्त्ययनम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (स्वस्त्ययनम्/स्थानम्)

• स्कन्दस्य: of Skanda
• स्कन्दस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अग्रे: in the presence
• अग्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘अग्रे’ (in front/presence)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly)

• प्रोक्तम्: was told
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) + प्रोक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-सामानाधिकरणे, एकवचन; कर्मणि (was declared)

• महारुद्रेण: by Mahārudra (Great Rudra)
• महारुद्रेण: Karana (Agent-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (महान् रुद्रः), पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धीमता: by the wise one
• धीमता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (महारुद्रेण)

Speaker

Vyāsa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A mythic assembly: Mahārudra, radiant and composed, proclaims the tīrtha’s greatness while Skanda stands as witness; sages and devas listen; the sacred landscape glows with auspicious signs.

Characters & Entities

• Mahārudra (Śiva)
• Skanda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest sacred geography is anchored in divine revelation—Śiva’s teaching establishes the unrivaled sanctity of the site.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse praises an unnamed ‘supreme place’ within the Dharmāraṇya tīrtha narrative, validated by Mahārudra’s proclamation to Skanda.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated here; it provides scriptural authority for the site’s greatness.