Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

रक्षैनं बालकं सुभ्रुर्विसृज्य हृदि संशयम् । अनेन परमं श्रेयः प्राप्स्यसे ह्यचिरादेिह

Transliteration

rakṣainaṃ bālakaṃ subhrurvisṛjya hṛdi saṃśayam | anena paramaṃ śreyaḥ prāpsyase hyacirādeिha

Translation

ഹേ സുന്ദരഭ്രൂവതീ! ഈ ബാലനെ സംരക്ഷിക്കൂ; ഹൃദയത്തിലെ സംശയം ഉപേക്ഷിക്കൂ. ഇവനാൽ നീ ഈ ജീവിതത്തിൽ തന്നെ शीഘ്രം പരമ ശ്രേയസ് നേടും.

Word by Word

• रक्ष: protect
• रक्ष: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः (2nd person), एकवचनम् (singular); परस्मैपदम्

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masc.), द्वितीया विभक्तिः (Acc. 2nd), एकवचनम् (singular)

• बालकम्: the boy
• बालकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masc.), द्वितीया विभक्तिः (Acc. 2nd), एकवचनम् (singular)

• सुभ्रूः: the fair-browed woman
• सुभ्रूः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुभ्रू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे (fem.), प्रथमा विभक्तिः (Nom. 1st), एकवचनम् (singular)

• विसृज्य: having cast away
• विसृज्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + सृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभावः; पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (prior action)

• हृदि: in (her) heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (neut.), सप्तमी विभक्तिः (Loc. 7th), एकवचनम् (singular)

• संशयम्: doubt
• संशयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masc.), द्वितीया विभक्तिः (Acc. 2nd), एकवचनम् (singular)

• अनेन: by this (act/means)
• अनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे (masc./neut.), तृतीया विभक्तिः (Instr. 3rd), एकवचनम् (singular)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (neut.), द्वितीया विभक्तिः (Acc. 2nd), एकवचनम् (singular); विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• श्रेयः: highest good
• श्रेयः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (neut.), द्वितीया विभक्तिः (Acc. 2nd), एकवचनम् (singular)

• प्राप्स्यसे: you will attain
• प्राप्स्यसे: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), मध्यमपुरुषः (2nd person), एकवचनम् (singular); आत्मनेपदम्

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

• अचिरात्: soon
• अचिरात्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अचिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन (adverbial usage), पञ्चमी-प्रयोगः (ablatival adverb)

• इह: here
• इह: Desha (Place/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (adverb)

Speaker

Bhikṣuḥ (a compassionate mendicant), inferred from shloka 43

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A compassionate mendicant instructs a fair-browed woman to protect a small child; the woman’s face shifts from doubt to resolve; the child is central, symbolizing future śreyas.

Characters & Entities

• Bhikṣu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Protecting the vulnerable is itself a direct path to śreyas—spiritual welfare and blessing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is specified; the verse glorifies the dharma of protection as a merit-bearing act.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A practical dharma-injunction is given: rakṣaṇa (protection) and removal of doubt; no formal ritual is stated.