Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

तस्माद्ब्रूहि महाभाग यद्यस्त्यपरमेव हि । प्रायश्चित्तं द्विजस्यास्य मद्यपानविशुद्धये

Transliteration

tasmādbrūhi mahābhāga yadyastyaparameva hi | prāyaścittaṃ dvijasyāsya madyapānaviśuddhaye

Translation

ゆえに、大いなる幸いを具えた御方よ、もし真に至上の救いの法があるならお告げください。この二度生まれ（ドヴィジャ）を酒を飲んだ罪から清める贖罪（プラーヤシュチッタ）は何でしょうか。

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे ‘तस्मात्’ = therefore

• ब्रूहि: tell, speak
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; ‘महान् भागः यस्य’ (विशेषणवत् संबोधन)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Connector (शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तबोधक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अपरम्: another (remedy/means)
• अपरम्: Karta/Predicate complement
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘अन्यत्/उपायान्तरम्’

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• हि: for, indeed
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये निपात (particle)

• प्रायश्चित्तम्: expiation, penance
• प्रायश्चित्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• द्विजस्य: of the twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विजस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• अस्य: of this (person)
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• मद्यपान-विशुद्धये: for purification from wine-drinking
• मद्यपान-विशुद्धये: Sampradana (Purpose/Recipient; चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्यपान (प्रातिपदिक; मद्य + पान) + विशुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; ‘मद्यपानस्य विशुद्धये’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A spokesman earnestly asks the sage for the ‘supreme remedy’—prāyaścitta to cleanse a dvija from the sin of liquor—hands folded, face intent; the sage listens.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even grave transgressions are approached through dharmic means—confession, counsel, and prescribed expiation aimed at restoration of purity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named in this verse; the tīrtha-setting frames the discussion on purification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse asks for prāyaścitta (expiation) for madyapāna; details are sought rather than stated.