Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

अज्ञानतो यदा पीतं मद्यं विप्रेण कर्हिचित् । अग्नितुल्यं घृतं पीत्वा तावन्मात्रं विशुध्यति

Transliteration

ajñānato yadā pītaṃ madyaṃ vipreṇa karhicit | agnitulyaṃ ghṛtaṃ pītvā tāvanmātraṃ viśudhyati

Translation

«Mais si, à quelque moment, un brāhmaṇa boit la liqueur par ignorance, il se purifie en buvant du ghee (beurre clarifié) brûlant comme le feu, en la même mesure.»

Word by Word

• अज्ञानतः: unknowingly
• अज्ञानतः: Hetu (Cause/Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (तसिल्/ablatival adverb) “from ignorance/unknowingly”

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kala-adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; temporal adverb “when”

• पीतम्: drunk
• पीतम्: Kriya (Passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावे “(it) has been drunk”

• मद्यम्: liquor
• मद्यम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘पीतम्’ इत्यस्य कर्म/विषय

• विप्रेण: by a Brahmin
• विप्रेण: Karta (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental) एकवचन; कर्तृकरणे (कर्मणि-प्रयोगे agent)

• कर्हिचित्: at some time
• कर्हिचित्: Kala-adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कर्हिचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; indefinite temporal adverb “at some time/ever”

• अग्नितुल्यम्: like fire
• अग्नितुल्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्नि + तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषणम् (घृतम्) । समासः: अग्निना तुल्यम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• घृतम्: ghee
• घृतम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्म (पीत्वा)

• पीत्वा: having drunk
• पीत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive) “having drunk”

• तावन्मात्रम्: to that extent
• तावन्मात्रम्: Kriya-visheshana (Measure)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् परिमाण-प्रयोग; adverbial accusative “to that extent/that much”

• विशुध्यति: is purified
• विशुध्यति: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; “is purified”

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The penitent dvija

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brāhmaṇas explain a mitigated expiation: ghee heated like fire, measured to the accidental intake; the tone is compassionate yet firm.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma texts distinguish intention: ignorance lessens culpability, yet purification remains necessary.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha appears in this verse; it functions as a dharma-prāyaścitta instruction within the Tīrthamāhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Drinking very hot ghee (agnitulyam ghṛtam) equal to the quantity consumed is given as expiation for unknowing liquor intake.