Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

रुक्म उवाच । यन्मया पापनिष्ठेन मन्दभाग्येन केशव । सायकैराहतं वक्षस्तत्सर्वं क्षन्तुमर्हसि

Transliteration

rukma uvāca | yanmayā pāpaniṣṭhena mandabhāgyena keśava | sāyakairāhataṃ vakṣastatsarvaṃ kṣantumarhasi

Translation

രുക്മൻ പറഞ്ഞു: ഹേ കേശവാ, പാപിയും നിർഭാഗ്യവാനുമായ ഞാൻ അങ്ങയുടെ മാറിൽ അമ്പുകൾ കൊണ്ട് മുറിവേൽപ്പിച്ചു. അതെല്ലാം അങ്ങ് ക്ഷമിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• रुक्मः: Rukma
• रुक्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• पापनिष्ठेन: devoted to sin / sinful
• पापनिष्ठेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप + निष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (पापे निष्ठा यस्य / पापे निष्ठः)

• मन्दभाग्येन: ill-fated
• मन्दभाग्येन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्द + भाग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (मन्दं भाग्यं यस्य)

• केशव: O Keśava
• केशव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• सायकैः: with arrows
• सायकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), बहुवचन

• आहतम्: struck
• आहतम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वक्षः: chest
• वक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• क्षन्तुम्: to forgive
• क्षन्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षम (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive): ‘to forgive’

• अर्हसि: you ought / you are able
• अर्हसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Rukma

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rukma, humbled, speaks with downcast eyes, hands folded, recalling his arrows striking Kṛṣṇa’s chest; Kṛṣṇa stands serene, forgiving.

Characters & Entities

• Rukma
• Keśava (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Confession and seeking forgiveness (kṣamā-yācñā) is a dhārmic turning-point—humility opens the door to grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is prescribed; it models repentance and apology.