Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

जातं तु स्वगृहे वत्सं द्विजन्मा यस्तु वाहयेत् । पतन्ति पितरस्तस्य ब्रह्मकोकगता अपि

Transliteration

jātaṃ tu svagṛhe vatsaṃ dvijanmā yastu vāhayet | patanti pitarastasya brahmakokagatā api

Translation

Wenn ein Zweimalgeborener (dvija) das im eigenen Hause neugeborene Kalb zur Arbeit zwingt, so heißt es, dass seine Ahnen fallen, selbst wenn sie Brahmaloka erreicht haben.

Word by Word

• जातम्: born
• जातम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः, नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्म-विशेषणम्

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• स्वगृहे: in one’s own house
• स्वगृहे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + गृह (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुष-समासः (स्वस्य गृहः)

• वत्सम्: calf
• वत्सम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• द्विजन्मा: a twice-born (Brāhmaṇa etc.)
• द्विजन्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुष-समासः (द्वे जन्मनी यस्य/द्वितीयं जन्म उपनयनात्)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• वाहयेत्: should make (it) carry / should yoke
• वाहयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्; causative sense in usage

• पतन्ति: fall
• पतन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथम-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• पितरः: the ancestors
• पितरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• ब्रह्मकोकगता: gone to Brahma-loka
• ब्रह्मकोकगता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म + कोक + गत (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘गत’; तत्पुरुष-समासः (ब्रह्मकोके गता = gone to Brahma-loka)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also/even)

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (Revākhaṇḍa narrative voice; likely a Purāṇic narrator addressing a listener within Revā-māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-associated pitṛ-dharma (general)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A twice-born householder is shown about to commit an improper act with a newborn calf; above, luminous pitṛs in Brahmaloka begin to dim and descend, illustrating the dramatic consequence; a priest figure gestures in prohibition.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Brahmaloka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Household actions are portrayed as directly affecting ancestral welfare; negligent or improper conduct can diminish even earned posthumous merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Revā-kṣetra (Narmadā region) within the Revā Khaṇḍa, though this verse itself emphasizes pitṛ-related dharma rather than a named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A cautionary rule regarding handling/feeding a newly born calf within the home is stated as having karmic impact on the Pitṛs.