Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 156

Devanagari script

स्वयंप्रभैश्च तेजोभिर्महद्भिः पुण्यकर्मभिः । पुण्या वाता ववुस्तत्र गन्धवंतः सुखप्रदाः

Transliteration

svayaṃprabhaiśca tejobhirmahadbhiḥ puṇyakarmabhiḥ | puṇyā vātā vavustatra gandhavaṃtaḥ sukhapradāḥ

Translation

ณ ที่นั้น รัศมีอันยิ่งใหญ่ซึ่งส่องสว่างด้วยตนเอง อันเกิดจากกุศลกรรมได้ปรากฏ; และสายลมอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์พัดมา หอมรื่น และประทานความสุข

Word by Word

• स्वयंप्रभैः: by self-luminous
• स्वयंप्रभैः: Sahakarana (Instrument/सहकारक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वयंप्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (स्वयं प्रभा यस्य/येषां ते = self-luminous)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• तेजोभिः: by splendors
• तेजोभिः: Sahakarana (Instrument/means/सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• महद्भिः: great
• महद्भिः: Sahakarana (Qualifier/सहकारक-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying तेजोभिः)

• पुण्यकर्मभिः: by meritorious (deeds)
• पुण्यकर्मभिः: Sahakarana (Instrument/means/सहकारक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (पुण्यं कर्म येषां/पुण्यकर्माणि = meritorious deeds)

• पुण्याः: holy
• पुण्याः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying वाता:)

• वाताः: winds
• वाताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ववुः: blew
• ववुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• गन्धवन्तः: fragrant
• गन्धवन्तः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गन्धवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (fragrant)

• सुखप्रदाः: bringing happiness
• सुखप्रदाः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सुखं प्रददाति = giving happiness)

Speaker

Deductive: Brahmā to Nārada (Vaiṣṇava Khaṇḍa framing); narrative description

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā (Sarayū-tīra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience (ṛṣis/śaunaka-group typical; not explicit in excerpt)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sanctified riverside cityscape where the air itself glows; soft golden radiance emanates from unseen merit, while fragrant breezes ripple banners, lotuses, and garments of devotees.

Characters & Entities

• Puṇya (merit)
• Divine radiance (tejas)
• Auspicious winds

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Puṇya is not abstract—it manifests as auspiciousness in the environment, supporting spiritual transition and worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā and its sacred precincts near the Sarayū, described as filled with auspicious, fragrant winds.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse prepares the setting for stuti and sacred actions through auspicious signs.