Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

श्रीराम उवाच । अज्ञानाद्वा नरश्रेष्ठ त्वयेदं साहसं कृतम् । ब्रह्मणा विष्णुना वापि शक्रादित्रिदशैरपि

Transliteration

śrīrāma uvāca | ajñānādvā naraśreṣṭha tvayedaṃ sāhasaṃ kṛtam | brahmaṇā viṣṇunā vāpi śakrāditridaśairapi

Translation

Śrī Rāma dit : Que ce soit par ignorance, ô meilleur des hommes, tu as accompli cet acte téméraire ; chose que ni Brahmā, ni Viṣṇu, ni les dieux menés par Śakra ne sauraient faire.

Word by Word

• श्रीरामः: Śrī Rāma
• श्रीरामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī-rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (śrī as honorific + rāma)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अज्ञानात्: from ignorance
• अज्ञानात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/हेतु), एकवचन; कारणे (from ignorance)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-निपात (or)

• नरश्रेष्ठ: O best of men
• नरश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (best among men)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr̥ (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (कर्ता/करण), एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-शब्दः (this)

• साहसम्: rash act
• साहसम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāhasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; इदम् इत्यस्य विशेष्य (rash act)

• कृतम्: done
• कृतम्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे (has been done)

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: Kartr̥ (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विष्णुना: by Viṣṇu
• विष्णुना: Kartr̥ (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-निपात (or)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवाद-निपात (also/even)

• शक्र-आदि-त्रिदशैः: by the gods beginning with Indra
• शक्र-आदि-त्रिदशैः: Kartr̥ (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + tridaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (gods beginning with Śakra)

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

Speaker

Śrī Rāma

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas (contextual audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma speaks firmly yet compassionately to Hanūmān; Hanūmān stands attentive, slightly bowed, indicating humility after a powerful but improper act.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Śakra (Indra)
• Tridaśas (Devas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even great power must be guided by humility and reverence for sacred order; rash acts can become spiritual offenses.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setukhaṇḍa’s Setu region, where Śaiva installations and their inviolability are central to the māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual here; it introduces a warning about transgressing against a sacred liṅga/Śiva-related act.