Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

महापातकिसंसर्गं दोषेणास्य द्विजस्य वै । ब्राह्मण्यं सकलं नष्टं निःशेषेण द्विजोत्तमाः

Transliteration

mahāpātakisaṃsargaṃ doṣeṇāsya dvijasya vai | brāhmaṇyaṃ sakalaṃ naṣṭaṃ niḥśeṣeṇa dvijottamāḥ

Translation

Wahrlich, durch den Makel der Gemeinschaft mit großen Sündern ging bei diesem Zweimalgeborenen das gesamte Brahmanentum restlos zugrunde, o Beste der Dvija.

Word by Word

• महापातकिसंसर्गम्: association with great sinners
• महापातकिसंसर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महापातकिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + संसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—महापातकिनां संसर्गः

• दोषेण: by the fault
• दोषेण: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• अस्य: of this (man)
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• द्विजस्य: of the twice-born (brāhmaṇa)
• द्विजस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/पादपूरण अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• ब्राह्मण्यम्: brāhmaṇa-hood
• ब्राह्मण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (कर्मणि/कर्तरि प्रयोगानुसार); अत्र प्रथमा (predicate nominative)

• सकलम्: entire
• सकलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ब्राह्मण्यं विशेषयति

• नष्टम्: is destroyed
• नष्टम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘अस्ति’ अध्याहृतम्

• निःशेषेण: completely
• निःशेषेण: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निःशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणवत् (instrumental used adverbially)

• द्विजोत्तमाः: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—उत्तमाः द्विजाः

Speaker

Sūta (context continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gautamī tīra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijottamāḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic depiction: the sacred thread appears frayed or dim; Durācāra’s brāhmaṇic aura fades into shadow as the silhouettes of mahāpātakins loom, illustrating total loss of brāhmaṇya.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāpātakins
• Brāhmaṇya
• Dvijottamas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is sustained by purity of conduct and company; persistent contact with grave wrongdoing erodes spiritual and social integrity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dhanuṣkoṭi is the broader māhātmya context, though this verse emphasizes the cause of degradation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite here; it teaches avoidance of mahāpātakin association as a protective dharmic discipline.