Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मास्त्रेण त्रयोदश्यां बद्धः शक्रजिता कपिः । दारुणानि च रूक्षाणि वाक्यानि राक्षसाधिपम्

Transliteration

brahmāstreṇa trayodaśyāṃ baddhaḥ śakrajitā kapiḥ | dāruṇāni ca rūkṣāṇi vākyāni rākṣasādhipam

Translation

Am dreizehnten Tithi wurde der Affe — Bezwinger von Indras Sohn — durch das Brahmāstra gebunden. Und er redete den Herrn der Rākṣasas mit harten, schneidenden Worten an.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मास्त्रेण: with the Brahmā-weapon
• ब्रह्मास्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahma + astra (प्रातिपदिक); brahmāstra (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (brahmaṇaḥ astraṃ)

• त्रयोदश्याम्: on the thirteenth (tithi)
• त्रयोदश्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: trayodaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम्

• बद्धः: bound
• बद्धः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √bandh (धातु) + ta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• शक्रजिता: by Śakrajit (Indrajit)
• शक्रजिता: Karana (Agent-Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra + jit (प्रातिपदिक); śakrajit (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (śakraṃ jayati iti)

• कपिः: the monkey (Hanumān)
• कपिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्

• दारुणानि: harsh/terrible
• दारुणानि: Karma (Object-Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dāruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom/Acc), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (vākyāni)

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

• रूक्षाणि: rough/abrasive
• रूक्षाणि: Karma (Object-Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rūkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (vākyāni)

• वाक्यानि: words/speeches
• वाक्यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम्

• राक्षसाधिपम्: the lord of the rākṣasas
• राक्षसाधिपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक); rākṣasādhipa (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (rākṣasānām adhipaḥ)

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (contextual; likely Sūta-style narration within Brahmakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hanumān, bound by luminous Brahmāstra cords, stands unbroken; he hurls cutting words at the rākṣasa lord’s assembly, eyes blazing with dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Brahmāstra
• Indrajit (implied by Śakrajitā)
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when constrained, a dharmic emissary remains fearless; firm speech can be a moral weapon against tyranny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the focus is the Laṅkā episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes a martial and diplomatic confrontation.