Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

प्राणिनां धर्मकक्षायामन्तर्भवति कर्हिचित । एवमग्रेसरे हंसे कथित्वोपरते सति

Transliteration

prāṇināṃ dharmakakṣāyāmantarbhavati karhicita | evamagresare haṃse kathitvoparate sati

Translation

ดังนี้แล โอ้หงส์ผู้ประเสริฐ บางคราวสัตว์โลกย่อมเข้าสู่เขตแดนแห่งธรรมะได้ ครั้นหงส์ผู้นำกล่าวดังนี้แล้วก็นิ่งสงบ

Word by Word

• प्राणिनाम्: of living beings
• प्राणिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th); बहुवचन (Plural)

• धर्मकक्षायाम्: in the sphere/compartment of dharma
• धर्मकक्षायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + कक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th); एकवचन (Singular)

• अन्तर्भवति: enters; becomes included
• अन्तर्भवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अन्तर्भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• कर्हिचित्: at some time; ever
• कर्हिचित्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कर्हि + चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• अग्रेसरे: in/with the leader
• अग्रेसरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्रेसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th); एकवचन (Singular)

• हंसे: in/with the swan
• हंसे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th); एकवचन (Singular)

• कथित्वा: having spoken
• कथित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (prior action)

• उपरते: when (he) had ceased; having stopped
• उपरते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute component/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + रम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• सति: while being; when (it) was so
• सति: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन; सप्तमी-समास/सप्तमी-absolute प्रयोग

Speaker

Narrator (contextual, within Setukhaṇḍa discourse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra (Setubandha/Rāma-setu region)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: ‘O foremost among swans’ (haṃsāgresara) addressed within the dialogue

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene, liminal sacred landscape near the Setu; a foremost swan-sage finishes speaking, the air still, listeners poised at the threshold of dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Haṃsa (swan)
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even rare entry into the domain of dharma is possible for beings; dharma is portrayed as a distinct, elevating sphere one may reach through merit and right guidance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is Setukhaṇḍa (Setu/Rāmeśvaram sacred geography), though this particular line is a moral transition in a teaching narrative rather than direct site-praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual (snāna, dāna, japa, vrata) is stated in this verse.