Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

एकोऽपि ब्रह्महा यत्र राष्ट्रे वसति निर्भयः । अकालमरणं तत्र साधूनामुपजायते

Transliteration

eko'pi brahmahā yatra rāṣṭre vasati nirbhayaḥ | akālamaraṇaṃ tatra sādhūnāmupajāyate

Translation

Quand bien même un seul meurtrier d’un brāhmane demeurerait sans crainte dans un royaume, là naît pour les justes une mort avant l’heure.

Word by Word

• एकः: one (single)
• एकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ब्रह्महा इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: 'even')

• ब्रह्महा: a slayer of a brahmin
• ब्रह्महा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्महन् (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्मन् + √हन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: 'where')

• राष्ट्रे: in a kingdom
• राष्ट्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• वसति: dwells
• वसति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वस् (वसँ निवासे)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• निर्भयः: fearless
• निर्भयः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्भय (प्रातिपदिक; निर् + भय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ब्रह्महा इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अकाल-मरणम्: untimely death
• अकाल-मरणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकाल (प्रातिपदिक) + मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'there')

• साधूनाम्: of the good people
• साधूनाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• उपजायते: arises, occurs
• उपजायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप√जन् (जनीँ प्रादुर्भावे)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: null

Type: null

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dwijas (brāhmaṇas) addressed in-frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fearful yet didactic tableau: a brahmahā living boldly under royal protection while, in contrast, sādhus suffer sudden collapse—symbolizing untimely death—under a darkened aura over the kingdom.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Impunity for grave sin corrodes dharma, and society’s innocent and virtuous suffer its fallout.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the teaching is general rājadharma within Kedārakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it is a warning about governance and protection of dharma.