Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

कृत्वास्याः केशवपनं छित्त्वा कर्णौ च नासिकाम् । निर्वास्यतां बहिर्ग्रामात्परित्यज्य स्वगोत्रतः

Transliteration

kṛtvāsyāḥ keśavapanaṃ chittvā karṇau ca nāsikām | nirvāsyatāṃ bahirgrāmātparityajya svagotrataḥ

Translation

Man schere ihr das Haupt, schneide ihr Ohren und Nase ab und jage sie aus dem Dorf hinaus, verstoßen aus ihrem eigenen Geschlecht.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Verbal action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत्वा (कृदन्त, त्वा)
• Form: त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• अस्याः: of her
• अस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• केश-वपनम्: shaving of (her) hair
• केश-वपनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक) + वपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (केशानां वपनम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• छित्त्वा: having cut off
• छित्त्वा: Kriya (Verbal action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु) → छित्त्वा (कृदन्त, त्वा)
• Form: त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• कर्णौ: (her) two ears
• कर्णौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), द्विवचन

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

• नासिकाम्: (her) nose
• नासिकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नासिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• निर्वास्यताम्: let (her) be expelled
• निर्वास्यताम्: Kriya (Verbal action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर् + वस् (धातु) → निर्वास्य (कृदन्त, णिच्-प्रेरणार्थ)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (let her be expelled)

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• ग्रामात्: from the village
• ग्रामात्: Apadana (Ablative/source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/ablative), एकवचन

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: Kriya (Verbal action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + त्यज् (धातु) → परित्यज्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• स्व-गोत्रतः: from (her) own clan
• स्व-गोत्रतः: Apadana (Ablative/source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + गोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (स्वं गोत्रम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/ablative) एकवचन; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (गोत्रतः = from the clan)

Speaker

Some elders proposing punishment (contextual attribution)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grim punitive scene: barber’s razor implied for head-shaving; elders ordering mutilation; the village gate in the background, symbolizing banishment; the woman in terror and pleading posture.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It highlights the extremity of punitive social reactions and sets the stage for dharmic correction—warning against unjust cruelty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes proposed social punishment, not a religious rite.