Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

स्वस्थाने ब्राह्मणास्तत्र कानि कर्माणि चक्रिरे । ब्रह्मोवाच । इष्टापूर्तरताः शांताः प्रतिग्रहपराङ्मुखाः

Transliteration

svasthāne brāhmaṇāstatra kāni karmāṇi cakrire | brahmovāca | iṣṭāpūrtaratāḥ śāṃtāḥ pratigrahaparāṅmukhāḥ

Translation

Brahmā sprach: »Dort blieben jene Brāhmaṇas an ihrem rechten Platz und vollzogen die ihnen angemessenen Riten — friedvoll im Wandel, dem iṣṭa und pūrta (Opferhandlungen und gemeinnützigen Verdienstwerken) hingegeben und abgeneigt, Geschenke anzunehmen.«

Word by Word

• स्वस्थाने: in (their) proper place
• स्वस्थाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वस्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• कानि: which (things)
• कानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; प्रश्नवाचक विशेषण

• कर्माणि: rites, actions
• कर्माणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• चक्रिरे: they performed
• चक्रिरे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इष्टापूर्तरताः: devoted to iṣṭa and pūrta (sacrificial and charitable works)
• इष्टापूर्तरताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट + आपूर्त + रत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; (इष्टे च आपूर्ते च रताः)

• शांताः: peaceful
• शांताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √शम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• प्रतिग्रहपराङ्मुखाः: averse to accepting gifts
• प्रतिग्रहपराङ्मुखाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिग्रह + पराङ्मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; (प्रतिग्रहात् पराङ्मुखाः)

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene forest āśrama: brāhmaṇas seated in orderly rows, tending sacred fires, reciting Veda, building a small well/ghāṭa as pūrta-work; their demeanor calm and restrained, refusing lavish gifts.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dharma is steadiness in one’s own duty, purity of livelihood, and merit through worship and public good—without greed for gifts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sets the ethical atmosphere for Dharmāraṇya’s sanctity, presenting the conduct of brāhmaṇas as part of the kṣetra’s greatness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Devotion to iṣṭa (Vedic worship/sacrifice) and pūrta (charitable/public works) and avoidance of pratigraha (gift-acceptance for gain).