Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

आत्मनः पितरं बद्धं मोचयित्वा रणाजिरे । तत्पत्नीः शत्रुवशगाः सर्वाः सद्यो व्यमोचयत्

Transliteration

ātmanaḥ pitaraṃ baddhaṃ mocayitvā raṇājire | tatpatnīḥ śatruvaśagāḥ sarvāḥ sadyo vyamocayat

Translation

Having freed his own father, who had been bound on the battlefield, he immediately released all the wives who were held under the enemies’ control.

Word by Word

• ātmanaḥ: of himself
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (आत्मन्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; स्वत्व/सम्बन्ध (genitive: of himself)

• pitaram: father
• pitaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (पितृ-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• baddham: bound
• baddham: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: baddha (बद्ध-प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• mocayitvā: having released
• mocayitvā: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (मुच् धातु) (णिच् causative: मोचय-)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘having freed/released’

• raṇa-ājire: in the battlefield
• raṇa-ājire: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa (रण-प्रातिपदिक) + ājira (आजिर-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (in the battlefield-court/arena)

• tat-patnīḥ: their wives
• tat-patnīḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-सर्वनाम) + patnī (पत्नी-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (their wives / his wives depending on context; here: of those enemies)

• śatru-vaśa-gāḥ: under the enemies’ control
• śatru-vaśa-gāḥ: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śatru (शत्रु-प्रातिपदिक) + vaśa (वश-प्रातिपदिक) + ga (ग-प्रातिपदिक ‘going/being’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (gone under the control of enemies)

• sarvāḥ: all
• sarvāḥ: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (सर्व-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• sadyaḥ: immediately
• sadyaḥ: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadyaḥ (सद्यः-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time: immediately)

• vyamocayat: released / set free
• vyamocayat: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi+muc (मुच् धातु) (णिच् causative: मोचय-)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative (णिच्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The hero cuts bonds and lifts his father from captivity; nearby, captive women are released from enemy guards, their veils and ornaments restored, expressions shifting from fear to relief.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes protection and liberation of the vulnerable; victory is validated by compassionate restoration, not mere conquest.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse highlights righteous action (mokṣaṇa—release) as dharmic conduct.