Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

तथान्यैः क्षत्रविट्शूद्रस्त्रीगोहत्या दिपातकैः । वीरहत्याश्वहत्याभ्यां मुच्यते नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

tathānyaiḥ kṣatraviṭśūdrastrīgohatyā dipātakaiḥ | vīrahatyāśvahatyābhyāṃ mucyate nātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

അതുപോലെ മറ്റു പാപങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നും—ക്ഷത്രിയൻ, വൈശ്യൻ, ശൂദ്രൻ, സ്ത്രീ അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ഗോഹത്യ പോലുള്ളവയിൽ നിന്നും—വീരഹത്യയും അശ്വഹത്യയും മുതലായവയിൽ നിന്നും കൂടി അവൻ മോചിതനാകും; ഇതിൽ സംശയമില്ല.

Word by Word

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: likewise)

• anyaiḥ: by other
• anyaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (other)

• kṣatra-viṭ-śūdra-strī-go-hatyā: the killing of a kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, woman, or cow
• kṣatra-viṭ-śūdra-strī-go-hatyā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣatra + viṭ + śūdra + strī + go + hatyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः (द्वन्द्व) — ‘क्षत्रहत्या, विट्हत्या, शूद्रहत्या, स्त्रीहत्या, गोहत्या’ (collective)

• ati-pātakaiḥ: from grievous sins
• ati-pātakaiḥ: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source; from)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ati + pātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) ‘अतिपातकैः’ = very great sins

• vīra-hatyā-aśva-hatyābhyām: from the killing of a hero and of a horse
• vīra-hatyā-aśva-hatyābhyām: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source; from)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra + hatyā + aśva + hatyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन; समासः (द्वन्द्व) ‘वीरहत्यया च अश्वहत्यया च’

• mucyate: is freed
• mucyate: Kriyā (Predicate; passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √muc (मुच्) (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि (passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• na: no/not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• atra: here/in this matter
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (Reference)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: here/in this matter)

• saṃśayaḥ: doubt
• saṃśayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Deductive attribution: Purāṇic narrator (likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa tradition within Brāhma Khaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A penitent devotee with downcast eyes applies Tripuṇḍra; behind him, shadowy forms symbolizing grave sins dissolve into ash-like light, while a compassionate Śiva presence is implied above.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāpātaka
• Gohatyā
• Tripuṇḍra (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text magnifies the purificatory power of the Śaiva observance, portraying it as capable of dissolving even severe wrongdoing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the passage is doctrinal/ritual in focus.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied: continued practice of Tripuṇḍra/bhasma dhāraṇa as a prāyaścitta-like purifier.