Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

वर्द्धन्युवाच । मा भयं कुरु देवेश यमस्यार्कसुतस्य च । अयं स्वार्थपरो धर्म यशसे च समाचरेत्

Transliteration

varddhanyuvāca | mā bhayaṃ kuru deveśa yamasyārkasutasya ca | ayaṃ svārthaparo dharma yaśase ca samācaret

Translation

วรรธนีกล่าวว่า “อย่าหวาดกลัวเลย โอ้จอมแห่งเทพทั้งหลาย—อย่ากลัวแม้ยมะโอรสแห่งสุริยะหรือสิ่งใดอื่น ธรรมนี้ปฏิบัติเพื่อประโยชน์อันชอบธรรมของตน และควรประพฤติเพื่อเกียรติยศอันงามด้วย”

Word by Word

• वर्द्धनी: Varddhanī
• वर्द्धनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्द्धनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratiṣedha (Prohibition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (prohibitive particle)

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• कुरु: do / make
• कुरु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवेश: O lord of the gods
• देवेश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• यमस्य: of Yama
• यमस्य: Sambandha (Possession/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अर्कसुतस्य: of the Sun’s son (Yama)
• अर्कसुतस्य: Sambandha (Possession/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क-सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्वार्थपरः: intent on one’s own interest
• स्वार्थपरः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व-अर्थ-पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective)

• धर्मः: Dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• यशसे: for fame
• यशसे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• समाचरेत्: should practice / should perform
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Varddhanī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇyaka

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devēśa (addressed as ‘Lord of the gods’; contextually Śakra/Indra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Varddhanī addresses a divine figure with calm assurance, dismissing fear of Yama; a forest-āśrama ambience with subtle celestial presence.

Characters & Entities

• Varddhanī
• Yama
• Sūrya (Arka)
• Deveśa (addressed deity/lord)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma is rightly practiced, fear of punitive forces diminishes; ethical conduct supports both inner good and honorable reputation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a direct site-glorification verse; it supports the Dharmāraṇya narrative by framing dharma as protective.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it is an exhortation to practice dharma steadily and without fear.