Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

सर्वकालेऽप्यभेद्यानामघानां क्षयकारणम् । महामुनिविनिर्दिष्टैः प्रायश्चित्तैरथोत्तमैः

Transliteration

sarvakāle'pyabhedyānāmaghānāṃ kṣayakāraṇam | mahāmunivinirdiṣṭaiḥ prāyaścittairathottamaiḥ

Translation

At all times, this is the cause of the destruction even of sins deemed “unbreakable,” surpassing the excellent expiations (prāyaścitta) prescribed by the great sages.

Word by Word

• सर्वकाले: at all times
• सर्वकाले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्व + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययत्वेन प्रयोगः; अर्थः—सर्वेषु कालेषु (locative sense)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थे ‘also/even’

• अभेद्यानाम्: of (those) unbreakable/irremediable
• अभेद्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; ‘अघानाम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अघानाम्: of sins
• अघानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• क्षयकारणम्: the cause of destruction (of sins)
• क्षयकारणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्षयस्य कारणम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• महामुनिविनिर्दिष्टैः: prescribed by great sages
• महामुनिविनिर्दिष्टैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महामुनि + विनिर्दिष्ट (कृदन्त; √दिश् (धातु) + वि + नि, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (महामुनिभिः विनिर्दिष्टैः); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; ‘प्रायश्चित्तैः’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• प्रायश्चित्तैः: by expiations/penances
• प्रायश्चित्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• अथ: then/and
• अथ: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; अनुक्रम/प्रस्तावार्थे ‘then/and now’

• उत्तमैः: by the best (ones)
• उत्तमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; ‘प्रायश्चित्तैः’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sūta (inferred)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative teaching scene: a revered speaker extols a supreme purifier that outshines elaborate expiations; imagery of sins dissolving like darkness before a lamp of devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāmuni (great sages)
• Prāyaścitta
• Agha (sin)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine-centered atonement is portrayed as more powerful than conventional expiations, effective in every time and circumstance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It elevates the discussed practice above sage-taught prāyaścittas as the most potent means of kṣaya (destruction) of sin.