Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

यज्ञस्थायर्त्विजे दैवस्तज्जः पाति चतुर्दश । वरादादाय गोद्वन्द्वमार्षस्तज्जः पुनाति षट्

Transliteration

yajñasthāyartvije daivastajjaḥ pāti caturdaśa | varādādāya godvandvamārṣastajjaḥ punāti ṣaṭ

Translation

Die Daiva-Ehe ist jene, in der die Braut dem Priester gegeben wird, der das Opfer (Yajña) vollzieht; die daraus geborene Nachkommenschaft schützt vierzehn Generationen. Die Ārṣa-Ehe ist jene, in der vom Bräutigam ein Paar Kühe angenommen wird; die daraus geborene Nachkommenschaft reinigt sechs Generationen.

Word by Word

• yajña-sthāya: to the one staying at the sacrifice
• yajña-sthāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + sthāya (कृदन्त; √sthā (धातु))
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष) ‘यज्ञे स्थाय’ इति; पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• ṛtvije: to the priest (ṛtvij)
• ṛtvije: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛtvij (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/चतुर्थी), एकवचन

• daivaḥ: the Daiva (form of marriage)
• daivaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• tad-jaḥ: born from that
• tad-jaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष) ‘तस्मात् जातः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• pāti: protects
• pāti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pā (पा, धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• caturdaśa: fourteen (generations)
• caturdaśa: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caturdaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), बहुवचनार्थे (संख्यावाचक)

• varāt: from the bridegroom
• varāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• ādāya: having taken
• ādāya: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā-√dā (आदाने, धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययप्रयोगः

• go-dvandvam: a pair of cows
• go-dvandvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक) + dvandva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष) ‘गवां द्वन्द्वम्’ (=युग्मम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• ārṣaḥ: the Ārṣa (form of marriage)
• ārṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• tad-jaḥ: born from that
• tad-jaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष) ‘तस्मात् जातः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• punāti: purifies
• punāti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pū (पू, धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ṣaṭ: six (generations)
• ṣaṭ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), बहुवचनार्थे (संख्यावाचक)

Speaker

Parāśara

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Vedic yajña pavilion: ṛtvij priest near the fire; the bride is given with water-libation; nearby a pair of cows symbolizing Ārṣa acceptance; subtle depiction of ancestors receiving light/offerings to indicate generational benefit.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Different marriage forms carry different ethical weights and spiritual consequences, measured in protection and purification of lineage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the setting is ritual culture (yajña) rather than sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Daiva: giving the bride to an officiating priest; Ārṣa: accepting a pair of cows from the groom as part of the arrangement.