Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

भस्मनश्चापि माहात्म्यं वर्णयामि समासतः । कृतकृत्या भविष्यंति यच्छुत्वा पापिनो जनाः

Transliteration

bhasmanaścāpi māhātmyaṃ varṇayāmi samāsataḥ | kṛtakṛtyā bhaviṣyaṃti yacchutvā pāpino janāḥ

Translation

Ich werde auch kurz die Größe der heiligen Asche (bhasma) schildern. Wer dies hört, selbst sündige Menschen, wird erfüllt — als hätte er vollbracht, was zu vollbringen ist.

Word by Word

• भस्मनः: of ash (sacred ash)
• भस्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) = also

• माहात्म्यम्: greatness, glory
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• वर्णयामि: I describe
• वर्णयामि: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्णय् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• समासतः: briefly
• समासतः: Kriya (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समासतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) = briefly/in summary; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त

• कृतकृत्याः: fulfilled, having accomplished their duty
• कृतकृत्याः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: कृतं कृत्यं येषाम् (those whose duty is done)

• भविष्यन्ति: will become
• भविष्यन्ति: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• यत्: which/that (it)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (because/that which) — here object of श्रुत्वा

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), धातु: श्रु (to hear)

• पापिनः: sinful
• पापिनः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; विशेषण (to जनाः)

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhasma (Vibhūti)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣayaḥ (assembly of sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūta begins teaching on bhasma: a devotee applies three horizontal ash lines on forehead and arms; a sacred fire (agni) glows nearby, symbolizing transformation of impurity into sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Bhasma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred ash is upheld as a powerful Śaiva purifier; even hearing its greatness elevates the sinner toward spiritual completion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the focus is a ritual-sacramental element (bhasma) central to Śaiva dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Hearing (śravaṇa) the bhasma-māhātmya is itself recommended as spiritually transformative.