Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

चोरान्दुष्टांश्च बाधेथाः सुनीत्या शक्तिमत्तया । स्नाने जपे च होमे च दैवे पित्र्ये च कर्मणि

Transliteration

corānduṣṭāṃśca bādhethāḥ sunītyā śaktimattayā | snāne jape ca home ca daive pitrye ca karmaṇi

Translation

Zügle Diebe und Bösewichte durch gute Ordnung und durch wirksame Stärke. Sei eifrig im rituellen Bad, im Japa, im Homa und in den Riten für die Götter und für die Ahnen.

Word by Word

• चोरान्: thieves
• चोरान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• दुष्टान्: wicked people
• दुष्टान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• बाधेथाः: should restrain/oppose
• बाधेथाः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बाध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन — Optative, 2nd person, Singular; परस्मैपद

• सुनीत्या: by good policy/right conduct
• सुनीत्या: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुनीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन — Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• शक्तिमत्तया: with strength/power
• शक्तिमत्तया: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्तिमत्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन — Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• स्नाने: in bathing
• स्नाने: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Neuter, Locative, Singular

• जपे: in mantra-recitation
• जपे: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular

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

• होमे: in fire-offering
• होमे: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular

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

• दैवे: in rites for the gods
• दैवे: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Locative, Singular

• पित्र्ये: in ancestral rites
• पित्र्ये: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पित्र्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Locative, Singular

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

• कर्मणि: in (religious) acts
• कर्मणि: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic instruction within Brahmottara Khaṇḍa narrative)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two-part tableau: (1) the king’s guards restrain thieves at a city gate under a banner of dharma; (2) the same king at dawn by a river performs snāna and japa, with a small homa fire and offerings to devas and pitṛs.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma joins outer order and inner purity: rule firmly against wrongdoing while maintaining regular sacred disciplines and rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse outlines duties rather than pilgrimage praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (ritual bathing), japa (mantra repetition), homa (fire offering), and daiva/pitṛ rites (for deities and ancestors) are explicitly mentioned.