Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 109

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मघ्नेन समं स्पर्शः संभाषोऽथ विनिर्मितः । पापाय जायते पुंसां तस्मात्तं दूरतस्त्यजेत्

Transliteration

brahmaghnena samaṃ sparśaḥ saṃbhāṣo'tha vinirmitaḥ | pāpāya jāyate puṃsāṃ tasmāttaṃ dūratastyajet

Translation

Le contact avec un meurtrier de brahmane, et même la conversation avec lui, devient pour les hommes une cause de péché ; c’est pourquoi il faut l’abandonner et l’éviter de loin.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मघ्नेन: with a brahmin-slayer
• ब्रह्मघ्नेन: Sahakari (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ब्रह्मणः घ्नः = ब्रह्मघ्नः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• समम्: equally
• समम्: Sambandha (Comparison/तुलना)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तुल्यत्वे क्रियाविशेषण (equally)

• स्पर्शः: touch
• स्पर्शः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• संभाषः: conversation
• संभाषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संभाष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अथ: and/then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थ (and/then)

• विनिर्मितः: is considered/formed (as)
• विनिर्मितः: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + निर् + मा (धातु) + क्त
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• पापाय: for sin (leading to sin)
• पापाय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदान (for the purpose/result)

• जायते: arises/becomes
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• पुंसाम्: of men/people
• पुंसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस्/पुम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ (therefore)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• दूरतस्: from a distance
• दूरतस्: Adhikarana (Adverbial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दूरतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (from afar)

• त्यजेत्: should abandon/avoid
• त्यजेत्: Kriya (Injunction/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Brahmā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic tableau: a clear boundary line—devas on one side, Indra on the other—illustrating the injunction against touch and speech; Brahmā’s calm face contrasts with the devas’ cautious withdrawal.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Brahmaghna (brahma-slayer/Indra context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity is safeguarded by mindful association; harmful karmic states can be reinforced or shared through intimacy and influence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is named in this verse; it frames the need for tīrtha-prāyaścitta.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoidance rules: do not touch or even converse closely with one tainted by brahmahatyā.