Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मन्पापमजानंत्या मयाचरितमुल्बणम् । यौवने कामचारेण कौटिल्येन प्रवर्तितम्

Transliteration

brahmanpāpamajānaṃtyā mayācaritamulbaṇam | yauvane kāmacāreṇa kauṭilyena pravartitam

Translation

ഹേ ബ്രാഹ്മണാ! പാപമാണെന്ന് അറിയാതെ, യൗവനത്തിൽ കാമാചാരവും കപടവും പ്രേരിപ്പിച്ച് ഞാൻ അത്യന്തം ഭീകരമായ ഒരു കർമ്മം ചെയ്തു।

Word by Word

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

• pāpam: sin
• pāpam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ajānantyā: by (me) not knowing
• ajānantyā: Karana (Instrument/Reason/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ajānantī (कृदन्त; √jñā/ज्ञा ‘to know’ + नञ्-प्रत्यय ‘a-’ + शतृ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• ācaritam: committed/practised
• ācaritam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ācarita (कृदन्त; √car/चर् ‘to do, practice’ उपसर्ग-आ + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• ulbaṇam: grave/terrible
• ulbaṇam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ulbaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• yauvane: in youth
• yauvane: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yauvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• kāma-cāreṇa: by lustful conduct
• kāma-cāreṇa: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + cāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कामेन चारः)

• kauṭilyena: by deceit/crookedness
• kauṭilyena: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kauṭilya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (भाववाचक), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• pravartitam: impelled/instigated
• pravartitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pravartita (कृदन्त; √vṛt/वृत् ‘to proceed’ उपसर्ग-प्र + णिच् + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त (caused to be set in motion/impelled)

Speaker

The woman pilgrim (confessing to the brāhmaṇa teacher)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇapuṅgava (the foremost brāhmaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close, human moment: the woman speaks with downcast eyes, one hand on chest (self-acknowledgment), the brāhmaṇa listens with compassionate firmness; symbolic shadows of Kāma (flower-bow) and a serpent-like curve hint at deceit (kauṭilya).

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Acknowledging wrongdoing—without self-justification—is the doorway to repentance and purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in this verse; it occurs within the Gokarṇa pilgrimage narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse sets up the need for prāyaścitta (atonement) guidance.