Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

पुरा दशरथो राजा पुत्रेष्टिनाम नामतः । चकार विधिवद्यज्ञं पुत्रार्थं यत्र चादरात्

Transliteration

purā daśaratho rājā putreṣṭināma nāmataḥ | cakāra vidhivadyajñaṃ putrārthaṃ yatra cādarāt

Translation

往昔，十车王（Daśaratha）为求得子嗣，怀至诚之愿，于彼处依正法仪轨举行名为“求子祭”（Putreṣṭi）的祭祀。

Word by Word

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• daśarathaḥ: Daśaratha
• daśarathaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśaratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• rājā: king
• rājā: Apposition (Karta-samānādhikaraṇa/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• putreṣṭi-nāma: named ‘Putreṣṭi’
• putreṣṭi-nāma: Visheshana (Name-apposition/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putreṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—putreṣṭi-iti nāma (named ‘Putreṣṭi’)

• nāmataḥ: by name
• nāmataḥ: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāmatas (अव्यय/तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — ‘by name/as to name’

• cakāra: performed
• cakāra: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• vidhivat: according to rule
• vidhivat: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• yajñam: sacrifice
• yajñam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• putra-artham: for obtaining a son
• putra-artham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—putrasya arthaḥ (for the sake of a son)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ādarāt: out of reverence
• ādarāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेतौ/कारणे (ablative of cause)

Speaker

Agastya (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kṣīrodaka

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: King Daśaratha in royal sacrificial enclosure performs Putreṣṭi with ṛtviks; fire altar blazing; offerings poured; queens watching with hope; the tīrtha’s presence suggested by nearby sacred water and trees.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Putreṣṭi-yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual performed with vidhi and śraddhā at a sanctified place becomes a powerful means for desired dharmic aims.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse points to the Kṣīrodaka-area tīrtha context where Daśaratha’s Putreṣṭi is associated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of the Putreṣṭi (Putrakāmeṣṭi) yajña according to proper ritual procedure.