Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

त्रयीरूपेण धर्मात्मन्रक्षते सत्यमंदिरम् । जितेद्रिया जितात्मानो मिलितास्ते द्विजोत्तमाः

Transliteration

trayīrūpeṇa dharmātmanrakṣate satyamaṃdiram | jitedriyā jitātmāno militāste dvijottamāḥ

Translation

Hỡi bậc sống trong Chánh pháp, trong hình tướng Trayī (ba Veda) Ngài gìn giữ ngôi đền của Chân lý. Những bậc dvija tối thắng—đã thắng các căn và tự chế ngự—đứng tụ hội nơi ấy.

Word by Word

• trayīrūpeṇa: by the form of the three Vedas
• trayīrūpeṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: trayī-rūpa (प्रातिपदिक; त्रयी + रूप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन (instr. sg.); करण (by the form of the Vedas)

• dharmātman: the righteous-souled one
• dharmātman: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma-ātman (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; संबोधनार्थं न, कर्तृपद (one whose nature is dharma)

• rakṣate: protects
• rakṣate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √rakṣ (रक्ष् धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (protects)

• satyamaṃdiram: the abode/temple of truth
• satyamaṃdiram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya-maṃdira (प्रातिपदिक; सत्य + मन्दिर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (neut. acc. sg.)

• jitendriyāḥ: sense-controlled
• jitendriyāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jita-indriya (प्रातिपदिक; जित < √ji + इन्द्रिय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (those who have conquered the senses)

• jitātmānaḥ: self-conquered
• jitātmānaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jita-ātman (प्रातिपदिक; जित < √ji + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (self-controlled)

• militāḥ: assembled
• militāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: milita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √mil/√milāy (मिल्) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (assembled)

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (they/those)

• dvijottamāḥ: excellent brāhmaṇas
• dvijottamāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija-uttama (प्रातिपदिक; द्विज + उत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (best of the twice-born)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice; specific speaker not explicit in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Satyamandira (within Dharmāraṇya)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dharmātman (addressed interlocutor)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sanctum labeled ‘Satyamandira’ with a radiant Devī-form hovering as three Vedic streams (three scrolls or three flames) encircling the shrine; a gathered assembly of calm, austere brahmins with lowered gaze and folded hands.

Characters & Entities

• Trayī (Three Vedas)
• Satyamaṃdira

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Truth and Dharma are safeguarded by the Divine through Vedic wisdom, and self-mastery is the qualification for approaching that Truth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is implied as the sacred setting; the verse also evokes a “Satyamaṃdira” (abode of Truth) as a sanctified locus.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied discipline is indriya-jaya (control of senses) and jitātmatā (self-control), rather than an external ritual.