Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

रक्तेन तस्य मे शूलं निर्मलं नैव जायते । शुभव्रततपोजप्यरतो ब्रह्मन्मया हतः

Transliteration

raktena tasya me śūlaṃ nirmalaṃ naiva jāyate | śubhavratatapojapyarato brahmanmayā hataḥ

Translation

അവന്റെ രക്തം കൊണ്ടു എന്റെ ശൂലം ഒട്ടും നിർമലമാകുന്നില്ല. ഹേ ബ്രഹ്മൻ! അവൻ ശുഭവ്രതം, തപസ്സ്, ജപം എന്നിവയിൽ രതനായിരുന്നിട്ടും എന്റെ കൈയ്യാൽ ഹതനായി.

Word by Word

• रक्तेन: by blood
• रक्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण-भाव (instrumental)

• तस्य: of him/that (demon)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (enclitic)

• शूलम्: trident/spear
• शूलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• निर्मलम्: pure, clean
• निर्मलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘शूलम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• एव: indeed, at all
• एव: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis: just/indeed)

• जायते: becomes, comes to be
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शुभव्रततपोजप्यरतः: devoted to good vows, austerity and recitation
• शुभव्रततपोजप्यरतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + जप्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; जप्+यत् ‘to be muttered’) + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (शुभ-व्रत-तपो-जप्य-रतः = ‘devoted to auspicious vows, austerity and recitation’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘(एष दानवः)’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (Brahmā)
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; संबोधन

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

• हतः: slain
• हतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) → हत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; predicate adjective (slain)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva holds the trident, looking contemplative; the trident’s tip is stained, symbolizing unresolved impurity; Brahmā listens as Śiva expresses moral concern over slaying a vow-keeping ascetic demon.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Brahmā
• Śūla (trident)
• Andhaka (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

External observances (vrata, tapas, japa) do not by themselves confer purity when aligned with adharma; inner intent and righteousness are decisive.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named yet; the verse motivates the ensuing tīrtha-yātrā for purification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vrata (vows), tapas (austerity), and japa (recitation) are referenced, but not prescribed; they are discussed in relation to moral fitness.