Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

अग्निर्दहति तेजोभिः सूर्यो दहति रश्मिभिः । राजा दहति दंडेन ब्राह्मणो मनसा दहेत्

Transliteration

agnirdahati tejobhiḥ sūryo dahati raśmibhiḥ | rājā dahati daṃḍena brāhmaṇo manasā dahet

Translation

অগ্নি তেজে দগ্ধ করে, সূর্য রশ্মিতে দগ্ধ করে; রাজা দণ্ডে দগ্ধ করে, কিন্তু ব্রাহ্মণ মনোবলে দগ্ধ করতে পারে।

Word by Word

• अग्निः: fire
• अग्निः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दहति: burns
• दहति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• तेजोभिः: by (its) heat/energy
• तेजोभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• सूर्यः: the sun
• सूर्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दहति: burns
• दहति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• रश्मिभिः: by (its) rays
• रश्मिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रश्मि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दहति: burns (punishes)
• दहति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• दण्डेन: by punishment/rod
• दण्डेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणः: a brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मनसा: by the mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• दहेत्: would/should burn (curse, afflict)
• दहेत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; speaker not explicit in this snippet)

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Sūrya
• Rājā
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner spiritual power (manas/tejas) can be more potent than physical force; therefore one should honor and avoid offending the spiritually disciplined.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse teaches general Purāṇic dharma about authority and spiritual potency.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a doctrinal statement about sources of ‘burning’ power—heat, rays, punishment, and mental/spiritual force.