Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

पञ्चयज्ञक्रियां चापि पक्तिं दैनंदिनीमपि । गृहस्थाश्रमिणः पञ्चसूनाकर्म दिनेदिने

Transliteration

pañcayajñakriyāṃ cāpi paktiṃ dainaṃdinīmapi | gṛhasthāśramiṇaḥ pañcasūnākarma dinedine

Translation

Le maître de maison doit accomplir les rites des cinq grands yajña, ainsi que la cuisson quotidienne. Jour après jour, le gṛhastha contracte inévitablement, par la vie ordinaire, les cinq fardeaux « semblables à l’abattage » (pañca-sūnā).

Word by Word

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; समासपूर्वपदम्; विशेषणम्

• यज्ञ: sacrifice
• यज्ञ: Sambandha (Compound-member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासमध्यपदम्

• क्रियाम्: the rite of the five sacrifices
• क्रियाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; 'पञ्च-यज्ञ-क्रियाम्' द्विगु-समासः (पञ्च यज्ञाः यस्याः सा/तत्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपात (also)

• पक्तिम्: cooking/meal-preparation
• पक्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दैनंदिनीम्: daily
• दैनंदिनीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दैनंदिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पक्तिम् इत्यस्य)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपात

• गृहस्थ: householder
• गृहस्थ: Sambandha (Compound-member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपदम्

• आश्रमिणः: of the householder (āśrama-follower)
• आश्रमिणः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रमिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; 'गृहस्थ-आश्रमिणः' = गृहस्थाश्रमस्य आश्रमिणः (of one belonging to the householder-āśrama)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याशब्दः; समासपूर्वपदम्

• सून: (household) harms/defiling acts
• सून: Sambandha (Compound-member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सून (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासमध्यपदम्; (सूनाः = हिंसास्थानानि/दोषहेतवः)

• कर्म: the set of five (sūnā-)acts
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'पञ्च-सूना-कर्म' द्विगु-समासः

• दिने: in a day
• दिने: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; पुनरुक्त-सप्तमी

• दिने: day by day
• दिने: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; 'दिने दिने' = प्रतिदिनम् (each day)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced, Brāhma Khaṇḍa dharma-narration context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pañca-mahāyajña (nitya-tīrtha within gṛhastha life)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A household day: cooking fire, grinding stone, broom, water-pot—tools linked to pañca-sūnā; alongside, the same householder performs pañca-yajña—svādhyāya, offerings, feeding a guest, feeding animals, and pitṛ-tarpana.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Daily life creates subtle harm and debt; the five great sacrifices purify the householder and sustain cosmic and social order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the verse teaches universal gṛhastha obligations rather than a pilgrimage location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It prescribes pañca-yajña performance and recognizes pañca-sūnā karmas that arise daily, implying regular expiatory discipline.