Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

स्वामिन्पूर्वं त्वया विप्रा वृता ये वेदपारगाः । ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेशेन निर्मिता ये पुरा द्विजाः

Transliteration

svāminpūrvaṃ tvayā viprā vṛtā ye vedapāragāḥ | brahmaviṣṇumaheśena nirmitā ye purā dvijāḥ

Translation

Wahai Tuan, dahulu engkau telah memilih para vipra yang menguasai Veda. Mereka itulah para dwija yang sejak purba dikatakan dibentuk oleh Brahmā, Viṣṇu, dan Maheśa.

Word by Word

• स्वामिन्: O master
• स्वामिन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana (Time/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• विप्राः: brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• वृताः: were chosen
• वृताः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु) + वृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘chosen/selected’ (predicate of विप्राः)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; relative pronoun referring to विप्राः

• वेदपारगाः: versed in the Vedas
• वेदपारगाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + पारग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (वेदस्य पारगः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (ये/विप्राः)

• ब्रह्म-विष्णु-महेशेन: by Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśa
• ब्रह्म-विष्णु-महेशेन: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समासः (ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश्च महेशश्च); तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन (समाहार/एकवचन-प्रयोग)

• निर्मिताः: were created
• निर्मिताः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्मा (धातु; निर् + मा) + निर्मित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘created’ (predicate of द्विजाः)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; relative pronoun referring to द्विजाः

• पुरा: in ancient times
• पुरा: Adhikarana (Time/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• द्विजाः: twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sītā (addressing Rāma)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rāma

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sītā addresses Rāma as lord, reminding him of the previously chosen Veda-master brāhmaṇas, described as fashioned by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśa; the scene blends domestic counsel with cosmic reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Maheśa (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual purity depends on qualified Veda-knowing priests; honoring the twice-born sustains dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya remains the sacred setting, where proper priest-selection supports the tīrtha’s promised fruits.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Selecting competent Veda-masters as officiants for the yajña is emphasized.