Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

तदहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि प्रायाश्चित्तं च किंचन । प्रायश्चित्तैरपैत्येनो यतोपि महदर्जितम्

Transliteration

tadahaṃ śrotumicchāmi prāyāścittaṃ ca kiṃcana | prāyaścittairapaityeno yatopi mahadarjitam

Translation

Darum wünsche ich, von einer Sühne zu hören, durch die mittels Bußhandlungen die große Schuld, die aufgeladen wurde, getilgt werden kann.

Word by Word

• तत्: therefore, then
• तत्: Sambandha (Discourse deictic/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोग (therefore/then), वाक्योपक्रमे

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to hear’

• इच्छामि: I wish, desire
• इच्छामि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• प्रायश्चित्तम्: expiation, penance
• प्रायश्चित्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• किंचन: some (kind of), any
• किंचन: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थ (some/any)

• प्रायश्चित्तैः: by expiations
• प्रायश्चित्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अपैत्येन: by removal/going away (of sin)
• अपैत्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप + इ (धातु)
• Form: ल्युट्/भावे-करणे तृतीया एकवचन; ‘by going away/removal’ (instrumental of action-noun)

• यतः: since, because
• यतः: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थे (since/because)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चय-निपात (also/even)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अर्जितम्: acquired, accumulated
• अर्जितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘acquired/committed’

Speaker

Guha (Skanda/Kārttikeya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A supplicant posture: the divine son of Śiva with folded hands asks for expiation; elders/gods form a semicircle, indicating counsel and śāstric guidance.

Characters & Entities

• Prāyaścitta (atonement)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes accountability—when wrongdoing (or doubt about wrongdoing) arises, one should humbly seek purification through proper atonement.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prāyaścitta is requested in general terms; the specific rite is not stated in this verse.