Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

हतः कर्णाटको नाम राक्षसो द्विजघातकः । तदा सर्वेऽपि वै विप्रा हृष्टास्ते तेन कर्मणा

Transliteration

hataḥ karṇāṭako nāma rākṣaso dvijaghātakaḥ | tadā sarve'pi vai viprā hṛṣṭāste tena karmaṇā

Translation

Karṇāṭaka by name—the rākṣasa, a slayer of brāhmaṇas—was killed. Then indeed all the brāhmaṇas rejoiced at that deed.

Word by Word

• हतः: killed, slain
• हतः: Kriyā (Predicate participle/क्रियाविशेष)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कर्णाटकः: Karṇāṭaka (name)
• कर्णाटकः: Karta/Viṣaya (Subject/topic/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णाटक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (Naming particle/नाम-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (नाम-निपात: ‘by name’)

• राक्षसः: a demon
• राक्षसः: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• द्विज-घातकः: slayer of Brahmins
• द्विज-घातकः: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + घातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी: ‘of twice-born’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक/adverb of time)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/अपि = also/even)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle (emphasis)

• विप्राः: Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• हृष्टाः: were delighted
• हृष्टाः: Kriyā (Predicate participle/क्रियाविशेष)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘delighted’

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Co-referent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Hetu/Instrument (Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; ‘by that’

• कर्मणा: deed, act
• कर्मणा: Hetu/Instrument (Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Rudra (Śiva)

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Skanda
• Karṇāṭaka
• Vipras (brāhmaṇas)
• Dharmāraṇya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The protection of dharma includes safeguarding the righteous and restraining violence against sacred communities.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya, whose sanctity is reinforced through the defeat of a notorious oppressor.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it records the outcome of divine protection that becomes the basis for later worship and remembrance.