Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

स्थानानामपि सर्वेषामेतत्स्थानं महत्तरम् । अत्र जप्तं हुतं तप्तं दत्तं चाक्षय मुच्यते

Transliteration

sthānānāmapi sarveṣāmetatsthānaṃ mahattaram | atra japtaṃ hutaṃ taptaṃ dattaṃ cākṣaya mucyate

Translation

ในบรรดาสถานที่ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ทั้งปวง สถานที่นี้ยิ่งใหญ่ที่สุด. ณ ที่นี้ การสวดมนต์ภาวนา (ชปะ), การบูชาไฟ (โหมะ), การบำเพ็ญตบะ และการให้ทาน ล้วนบังเกิดผลเป็นบุญอันไม่สิ้นสุด.

Word by Word

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

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थक निपात (also/even)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक-समासंगत, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier of स्थानानाम्)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of स्थानम्)

• स्थानम्: place
• स्थानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महत्तरम्: greater
• महत्तरम्: Pradhana-predicative (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तरप्-प्रत्ययान्त (comparative)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb ‘here’)

• जप्तम्: (any) recitation done
• जप्तम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP used substantively), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हुतम्: (any) oblation offered
• हुतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तप्तम्: (any) austerity performed
• तप्तम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दत्तम्: (any) gift given
• दत्तम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction ‘and’)

• अक्षयम्: imperishable
• अक्षयम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of implied ‘फलम्’/result)

• मुच्यते: is obtained / is released (as result)
• मुच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-kshetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Munipuṅgavas / brāhmaṇas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic tableau of Setu-kshetra: pilgrims doing japa with rosaries, a small sacred fire for homa, ascetics in tapas, and donors giving alms—overseen by the sanctified seashore landscape.

Characters & Entities

• Setu (implied as ‘this place’)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha magnifies dharmic acts—devotion, sacrifice, austerity, and charity performed at Setu yield lasting, inexhaustible merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu tīrtha, presented as supremely great among holy places.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa, homa (huta), tapa, and dāna performed at Setu are said to become akṣaya (inexhaustible).