Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

यमौ च सुकुमागंगौ शत्रुसंहारदीक्षितौ । चिकीर्षामि महायज्ञं राजसूयमनुत्तमम्

Transliteration

yamau ca sukumāgaṃgau śatrusaṃhāradīkṣitau | cikīrṣāmi mahāyajñaṃ rājasūyamanuttamam

Translation

»Und auch ihr, ihr Zwillinge: zart an Gliedern, doch zur Vernichtung der Feinde geweiht; ich wünsche das große Opfer zu vollziehen, das unvergleichliche Rājasūya.«

Word by Word

• yamau: the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva)
• yamau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), द्विवचन (Dual)

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

• sukumāgaṃgau: having delicate limbs
• sukumāgaṃgau: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukumāra + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), द्विवचन (Dual); समासः—सुकुमारम् अङ्गं यस्य (कर्मधारय/बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषण-प्रयोग)

• śatru-saṃhāra-dīkṣitau: initiated for the destruction of enemies
• śatru-saṃhāra-dīkṣitau: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śatru + saṃhāra + dīkṣita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), द्विवचन (Dual); समासः—शत्रूणां संहारार्थं दीक्षितौ (तत्पुरुष; अर्थे उपपद/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)

• cikīrṣāmi: I wish to perform
• cikīrṣāmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular); desiderative (सन्) formation: चिकीर्षति = कर्तुम् इच्छति

• mahāyajñam: a great sacrifice
• mahāyajñam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—महान् यज्ञः (कर्मधारय)

• rājasūyam: the Rājasūya (royal consecration sacrifice)
• rājasūyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājasūya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (Singular); महायज्ञस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• anuttamam: unsurpassed
• anuttamam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anuttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् rājasūyam/mahāyajñam प्रति

Speaker

Yudhiṣṭhira

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yudhiṣṭhira announces the unsurpassed Rājasūya; the twins stand modest yet ready, while Bhīma and Arjuna embody strength and valor; ritual implements and banners foreshadow the great rite.

Characters & Entities

• Nakula
• Sahadeva
• Rājasūya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma calls each person—strong or gentle—to their rightful duty when the cause is righteous.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No direct tīrtha praise appears in this verse; it remains within Setukhaṇḍa’s broader sacred context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The performance of the mahāyajña Rājasūya is declared as the intended rite.