Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

सुरालयसरोवापीकूपारामादिकल्पना । एतदर्थं हि पूर्ताख्या धर्मशास्त्रेषु निश्चिता

Transliteration

surālayasarovāpīkūpārāmādikalpanā | etadarthaṃ hi pūrtākhyā dharmaśāstreṣu niścitā

Translation

Việc dựng đền thờ chư thiên, đào ao hồ và giếng nước, xây giếng bậc, lập vườn tược và những công trình tương tự—chính vì mục đích ấy—được các Dharma-śāstra xác định là ‘pūrta’, tức công đức của các việc công ích.

Word by Word

• surālaya-saraḥ-vāpī-kūpa-ārāma-ādi-kalpanā: the making of temples, tanks, wells, gardens, etc.
• surālaya-saraḥ-vāpī-kūpa-ārāma-ādi-kalpanā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: surālaya (प्रातिपदिक) + saraḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + vāpī (प्रातिपदिक) + kūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ārāma (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + kalpanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः समासः (X-आदि-कलपनā = 'construction/planning of ... etc.')

• etadartham: for this purpose
• etadartham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; द्वितीया-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययवत् — 'for this purpose'

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) — निश्चय/हेतु (indeed/for)

• pūrtākhyā: called 'Pūrta' (public works charity)
• pūrtākhyā: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrta (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ('pūrta'-नाम्नी)

• dharmaśāstreṣu: in the dharma-texts
• dharmaśāstreṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharmaśāstra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य शास्त्रम्)

• niścitā: is established/decided
• niścitā: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√ci (धातु) → niścita (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'determined/settled' (pūrtākhyā इत्यस्य विधेय)

Speaker

Devadūta (contextual continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sequence of meritorious constructions: artisans carving a shrine, workers digging a tank, a stepwell with pilgrims drawing water, a garden grove with flowering trees; a priest consecrates the work with water-pot and mantra.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmaśāstra
• Surālaya (temple)
• Vāpī (tank/stepwell)
• Kūpa (well)
• Ārāma (garden)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Serving society through sacred and public infrastructure is a recognized form of dharma that generates enduring puṇya.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is specified; the verse supports tīrtha-culture broadly by praising works that aid worshippers and travelers.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The recommended dharmic act is pūrta: constructing temples, reservoirs/tanks, wells, and gardens as meritorious offerings.