Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

इदमेव गृहं दग्ध्वा बहुकालोपबृंहितम् । अहमग्निं प्रवेक्ष्यामि चिताभस्म भवेत्ततः

Transliteration

idameva gṛhaṃ dagdhvā bahukālopabṛṃhitam | ahamagniṃ pravekṣyāmi citābhasma bhavettataḥ

Translation

Nachdem ich dieses Haus, das über lange Zeit erbaut wurde, verbrannt habe, werde ich in das Feuer gehen; dann wird es Leichenasche für die Verehrung geben.

Word by Word

• idam: this
• idam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) — emphasis/limitation

• gṛham: house
• gṛham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• dagdhvā: having burnt
• dagdhvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dah (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)

• bahu-kāla-upabṛṃhitam: nourished/strengthened for a long time
• bahu-kāla-upabṛṃhitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + upabṛṃhita (कृदन्त; उप-√bṛṃh)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; past participle used adjectivally; समासः—तत्पुरुष (बहुकालेन उपबृंहितम् = long nourished/strengthened)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• agnim: fire
• agnim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• pravekṣyāmi: I shall enter
• pravekṣyāmi: Kriyā (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-viś (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• citā-bhasma: pyre-ashes
• citā-bhasma: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhasma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (चितायाः भस्म = pyre-ashes)

• bhavet: may become/would become
• bhavet: Kriyā (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ्-रूप (optative sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—अवधारण/क्रम (then/from that)

Speaker

Śabarāṅganā (Śabara’s wife)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humble forest-dwelling woman stands before a blazing pyre near a simple hut; flames rise as she declares her intent, with Śiva’s unseen presence implied by a faint liṅga silhouette or trident motif; ash and embers dominate the palette.

Characters & Entities

• Śabarāṅganā
• Śabara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It dramatizes intense devotion and detachment, showing how worship is valued above worldly possessions—though the narrative sets up discernment about right means.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse revolves around obtaining citābhasma for worship; it does not prescribe self-harm as a norm, but narrates an extreme proposal.