Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

शिखोपवीतमजिनं मौजीं दंडं कमंडलुम् । ब्रह्मचर्योचितं चिह्नं विहायेमां दशां गतः

Transliteration

śikhopavītamajinaṃ maujīṃ daṃḍaṃ kamaṃḍalum | brahmacaryocitaṃ cihnaṃ vihāyemāṃ daśāṃ gataḥ

Translation

Er hat den Haarschopf und die heilige Schnur, das Hirschfell, den Muñja-Gürtel, den Stab und den Wassertopf aufgegeben – jene Zeichen, die dem Brahmacarya eigen sind – und ist in diesen Zustand gefallen.

Word by Word

• शिखोपवीतम्: topknot and sacred thread
• शिखोपवीतम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikhā + upavīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (शिखा च उपवीतं च)

• अजिनम्: deerskin garment
• अजिनम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• मौजीम्: muñja-girdle
• मौजीम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maujī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दण्डम्: staff
• दण्डम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• कमण्डलुम्: water-pot
• कमण्डलुम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kamaṇḍalu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मचर्योचितम्: befitting brahmacarya
• ब्रह्मचर्योचितम्: Karman (Object-Qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahmacarya + ucita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; चिह्नम् इति विशेषणम्

• चिह्नम्: mark/insignia
• चिह्नम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cihna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• विहाय: having abandoned
• विहाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + √hā (हा धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय/ल्यप्), अव्ययभाव: having abandoned

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Karman (Object-Qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; दशाम् इति विशेषणम्

• दशाम्: state/condition
• दशाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• गतः: has gone/entered
• गतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gata (प्रातिपदिक; √gam/गम्)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (as predicate participle)

Speaker

Sārasvata

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (Pārthiva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A youth formerly a brahmacārin is shown without his sacred insignia; discarded items (staff, water-pot, deer-skin, girdle) lie aside, symbolizing a broken vow.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Āśrama-dharma is portrayed as a lived discipline with visible vows; when dharma is overturned, one’s spiritual-social identity is also shaken.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new prescription is given; the verse lists brahmacarya insignia (upavīta, daṇḍa, kamaṇḍalu, etc.) as markers of vowed life.