Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

अत्र दानं तथा होमं जपो ब्राह्मणभोजनम् । सर्वमक्षयतां याति विष्णुलोके निवासकृत्

Transliteration

atra dānaṃ tathā homaṃ japo brāhmaṇabhojanam | sarvamakṣayatāṃ yāti viṣṇuloke nivāsakṛt

Translation

Dito, ang pag-aalay ng kawanggawa, ang homa (handog sa apoy), ang japa (paulit-ulit na pagbigkas ng mantra), at ang pagpapakain sa mga brāhmaṇa—lahat ng ito’y nagiging di-nauubos ang bunga at nagdudulot ng paninirahan sa daigdig ni Viṣṇu.

Word by Word

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

• दानम्: gift, charity
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्म/उद्देश्य-रूपे (as an item/act)

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अन्वयार्थक (adverb/conjunctive: ‘also/and likewise’)

• होमम्: fire-offering, oblation
• होमम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: homa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• जपः: recitation, mantra-japa
• जपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: japa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणभोजनम्: feeding of Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणभोजनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्राह्मणानां भोजनम् = feeding of Brahmins)

• सर्वम्: all (of this)
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-शब्दः (pronominal adjective used substantively)

• अक्षयताम्: to imperishability
• अक्षयताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-kṣaya-tā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भाववाचक-तद्धितान्त (state of imperishability)

• याति: goes, attains
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (या)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• विष्णुलोके: in Viṣṇu’s world
• विष्णुलोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विष्णोः लोकः)

• निवासकृत्: one who makes (his) dwelling (there); resident
• निवासकृत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nivāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + √kṛ (कृ) (कृत्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः/कृदन्तः (निवासं करोति इति)

Speaker

Agastya (narration continues)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā (Dharma-Hari kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrimage courtyard in Ayodhyā where devotees give alms, perform a small homa with sacred fire, chant japa with mālā, and feed brāhmaṇas seated in a row; above, a symbolic vision of Viṣṇu-loka (Vaikuṇṭha) as the promised destination.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Actions of dharma performed in a consecrated sacred geography become akṣaya (imperishable) and elevate the soul toward Viṣṇu’s realm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā as the “atra” (here) that grants akṣaya fruit to dharmic rites.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna, homa, japa, and brāhmaṇa-bhojana are explicitly recommended as highly meritorious here.