Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

प्रतिजज्ञेऽथ रामोऽपि तस्मै वालिवधं प्रति । सुग्रीवश्चापि वै देह्याः पुनरानयनं द्विजाः

Transliteration

pratijajñe'tha rāmo'pi tasmai vālivadhaṃ prati | sugrīvaścāpi vai dehyāḥ punarānayanaṃ dvijāḥ

Translation

حينئذٍ نذرَ راما أيضًا له بشأن قتلِ فالي؛ وسوغريفا كذلك، حقًّا، (نذر) الإرجاعَ وإعادةَ ما فُقِد—يا ذوي الميلادين.

Word by Word

• प्रतिजज्ञे: promised, vowed
• प्रतिजज्ञे: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + √ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्; उपसर्गः प्रति

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थ (also/even)

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th case/Dative), एकवचन

• वालिवधम्: the killing of Vāli
• वालिवधम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वालि (प्रातिपदिक) + वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वालिनः वधः)

• प्रति: with regard to
• प्रति: Relation marker (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रति = towards/with regard to

• सुग्रीवः: Sugrīva
• सुग्रीवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; also

• वै: indeed
• वै: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/खलु-अर्थ (indeed)

• देह्याः: give (you should give)
• देह्याः: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; रूपम्: देहि (पाठभेदेन देह्याः इति)

• पुनरानयनम्: bringing back again, restoration
• पुनरानयनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुनर् (अव्यय) + आ + √नी (धातु) + अनयन्/अनयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः (पुनः + आनयनम्)

• द्विजाः: O brāhmaṇas (twice-born)
• द्विजाः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे अपि प्रयुज्यते (O twice-born)

Speaker

Narrator (addressing dvijāḥ)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kiṣkindhā–Pampa–Ṛṣyamūka kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvijas (explicitly addressed: 'dvijāḥ')

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma and Sugrīva formalize their pact: Rāma vows Vāli’s slaying; Sugrīva vows Sītā’s re-discovery/bringing back. The scene is set in the forested Kiṣkindhā foothills with Lakṣmaṇa and vānaras as attendants; dvijas/ṛṣis are invoked as narrative audience.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sugrīva
• Vāli

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma in leadership includes keeping promises and accepting reciprocal duties for a righteous goal.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This is narrative dharma within Setukhaṇḍa; no specific tirtha is praised in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the emphasis is on pratijñā (solemn vow/promise).