Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

परित्यज्य महा घोरां दिव्यं रूपमवाप्तवान् । पशुमान्नाम वैश्योऽभूत्पुरा पाटलिपुत्रके

Transliteration

parityajya mahā ghorāṃ divyaṃ rūpamavāptavān | paśumānnāma vaiśyo'bhūtpurā pāṭaliputrake

Translation

അവൻ അത്യന്തം ഭീകരമായ രൂപം ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച് ദിവ്യരൂപം പ്രാപിച്ചു. മുമ്പ് പാടലിപുത്രത്തിൽ ‘പശുമാൻ’ എന്ന പേരുള്ള ഒരു വൈശ്യനായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव

• महाघोराम्: very dreadful (one)
• महाघोराम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + घोरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महती घोरा)

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अवाप्तवान्: obtained
• अवाप्तवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√आप् (धातु) + वत् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (परिपूर्णकृत्), कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• पशुमान्: Paśumān (proper name)
• पशुमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशुमत् (प्रातिपदिक; मतुप्-तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषनाम

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (Apposition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नाम-शब्दः (indeclinable: 'by name')

• वैश्यः: a Vaiśya (merchant caste man)
• वैश्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अभूत्: became/was
• अभूत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/Imperfective past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: formerly)

• पाटलिपुत्रके: in Pāṭaliputra
• पाटलिपुत्रके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाटलिपुत्रक (प्रातिपदिक; स्थाननाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; देशवाचक

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, continuing narrative in Setukhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Agnitīrtha (contextual)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A man sheds a terrifying, shadowy outer form like a husk; from within emerges a radiant, well-formed divine-bodied figure, hands folded in gratitude; the sea-tīrtha glows behind.

Characters & Entities

• Paśumān
• Pāṭaliputra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic tīrtha narratives emphasize moral transformation—dark conditions can be shed, and a higher state can be regained.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding passage context is Agnitīrtha; this verse introduces a beneficiary’s prior identity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is stated here; it sets up the backstory for a tīrtha-based transformation.