Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

ततस्तं तेजसा हीनं दुर्गंधेन समावृतम् । ब्रह्महत्योद्भवैश्चिह्नैरन्यैरपि पृथग्विधैः

Transliteration

tatastaṃ tejasā hīnaṃ durgaṃdhena samāvṛtam | brahmahatyodbhavaiścihnairanyairapi pṛthagvidhaiḥ

Translation

Alors ils le virent—privé de sa splendeur, enveloppé d’une puanteur immonde, et marqué de divers signes issus du péché de brahmahatyā (meurtre d’un brahmane), ainsi que d’autres souillures de maintes sortes.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• तेजसा: by radiance, in splendor
• तेजसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम्; हेतौ/साधने (by/with respect to)

• हीनम्: devoid (of)
• हीनम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तम् विशेषयति

• दुर्गन्धेन: with foul odor
• दुर्गन्धेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् + गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘bad smell’), पुल्लिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• समावृतम्: covered, enveloped
• समावृतम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-√वृ (धातु) → समावृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तम् विशेषयति

• ब्रह्महत्योद्भवैः: arising from brahmin-slaying (sin)
• ब्रह्महत्योद्भवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्महत्या + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘arising from brahma-hatyā’), पुल्लिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे (contextual; agrees with ‘चिह्नैः’), तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• चिह्नैः: by marks, signs
• चिह्नैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• अन्यैः: with other
• अन्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे (agrees with चिह्नैः), तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

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

• पृथग्विधैः: of various kinds
• पृथग्विधैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथक् + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘various/different kinds’), पुल्लिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे (agrees with चिह्नैः), तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; specific speaker not stated in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A figure appears dim and tainted: dulled complexion, a haze of foulness, and ominous marks indicating brahmahatyā; onlookers recoil or gaze with concern.

Characters & Entities

• Brahma-hatyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sin diminishes tejas (spiritual radiance) and manifests as visible/experiential suffering; purification and atonement are central to restoring dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named in this verse; the broader Tīrthamāhātmya context suggests a setting where purification would be possible, but the place is not specified here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated in this verse; it describes the condition associated with brahma-hatyā.