Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

सदाचाराः पवित्राश्च ब्राह्मणा ब्रह्मवित्तमाः । तेषां दर्शनमात्रेण महापापैर्विमुच्यते

Transliteration

sadācārāḥ pavitrāśca brāhmaṇā brahmavittamāḥ | teṣāṃ darśanamātreṇa mahāpāpairvimucyate

Translation

Those brāhmaṇas are of noble conduct and pure, foremost among knowers of Brahman. By the mere sight of them, one is released from great sins.

Word by Word

• sat-ācārāḥ: of good conduct
• sat-ācārāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + ācāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (santaḥ ācārāḥ)

• pavitrāḥ: pure
• pavitrāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pavitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• brāhmaṇāḥ: Brahmins
• brāhmaṇāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• brahma-vit-tamāḥ: the best knowers of Brahman
• brahma-vit-tamāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + vid (प्रातिपदिक) + tama (तमप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (brahmaṇaḥ vittaḥ = brahmavit) + तमप् (superlative)

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• darśana-mātreṇa: by mere sight (of them)
• darśana-mātreṇa: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: darśana (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (darśanasya mātram)

• mahā-pāpaiḥ: from great sins
• mahā-pāpaiḥ: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Separation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (mahāni pāpāni)

• vimucyate: is released, is freed
• vimucyate: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + √muc (मुच् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे (is freed)

Speaker

Vyāsa (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim approaches a group of serene brāhmaṇas/sages; upon mere sight, a dark aura (symbolic sin) dissolves into light; the sages are shown with Vedic implements and calm faces, embodying purity and brahma-jñāna.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Brahman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Association—even by sight—with the truly virtuous and spiritually learned purifies the mind and diminishes sin.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is praised indirectly as a place where such pure and learned brāhmaṇas dwell.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana (reverent seeing/meeting) of the virtuous is presented as a purificatory spiritual practice.