Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

ज्येष्ठोऽनुजं ततः प्राह वचनं द्विजसत्तमाः । महत्सत्रं समारब्धं बृहद्द्युम्नस्य भूपतेः

Transliteration

jyeṣṭho'nujaṃ tataḥ prāha vacanaṃ dvijasattamāḥ | mahatsatraṃ samārabdhaṃ bṛhaddyumnasya bhūpateḥ

Translation

Dann sprach der Ältere zum Jüngeren —o Beste der Brāhmaṇas—: „König Bṛhaddyumna hat ein großes Satra-Opfer begonnen.“

Word by Word

• ज्येष्ठः: the elder (brother)
• ज्येष्ठः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अनुजम्: the younger brother
• अनुजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): 'then/thereupon'

• प्राह: said, spoke
• प्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वचनम्: words, speech
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• द्विजसत्तमाः: the best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजसत्तमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानां सत्तमाः)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying 'सत्रम्')

• सत्रम्: a sacrificial session (sattra)
• सत्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समारब्धम्: begun, undertaken
• समारब्धम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + रभ् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying 'सत्रम्')

• बृहद्द्युम्नस्य: of Bṛhaddyumna
• बृहद्द्युम्नस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहद् (प्रातिपदिक) + द्युम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (बृहद् द्युम्नं यस्य)

• भूपतेः: of the king
• भूपतेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Setukhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-kṣetra (narrative frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-sattamāḥ (addressed audience of brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two brothers in a forest-hermitage setting converse; in the distance a royal sacrificial enclosure (yajña-śālā) is being prepared for King Bṛhaddyumna’s great satra, with priests, fires, and banners.

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhaddyumna
• Elder brother (jyeṣṭha)
• Younger brother (anuja)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual duty and social responsibility continue even in crisis; yajña is portrayed as a pillar of dharma supported by kings and sages.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse centers on a royal satra; the Setukhaṇḍa context later connects dharma and purification to Setu tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A satra (a prolonged Vedic sacrificial session) is referenced.