Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

ध्यात्वा तु सुचिरं कालं विनिश्चित्येदमबुवन् । उपायं ते प्रवक्ष्यामस्तत्पातकनिवारणम्

Transliteration

dhyātvā tu suciraṃ kālaṃ viniścityedamabuvan | upāyaṃ te pravakṣyāmastatpātakanivāraṇam

Translation

അവർ ദീർഘകാലം ധ്യാനിച്ച് തീരുമാനിച്ച് പറഞ്ഞു—“ആ പാപം നീക്കുന്ന ഒരു ഉപായം നിനക്കു ഞങ്ങൾ പറയും.”

Word by Word

• ध्यात्वा: having contemplated
• ध्यात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव; ‘having meditated/considered’

• तु: then; but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle); विरोध/अन्वय—‘but/then’

• सुचिरम्: very long
• सुचिरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुचिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण—कालम् इति विशेष्यं; ‘for a long (time)’

• कालम्: time (duration)
• कालम्: Adhikarana (Time extent/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कालपरिमाणे (accusative of duration)

• विनिश्चित्य: having decided
• विनिश्चित्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि + चि (धातु) → निश्चित्य (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); उपसर्गयुक्त; ‘having ascertained/decided’

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘this’

• अबुवन्: they said
• अबुवन्: Kriya (Verbal action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; छान्दस/पुराणप्रयोगः ‘they said’

• उपायम्: a means
• उपायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘means/method’

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; enclitic; ‘to you/for you’

• प्रवक्ष्यामः: we will explain
• प्रवक्ष्यामः: Kriya (Verbal action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘we shall tell’

• तत्-पातक-निवारणम्: removal of that sin
• तत्-पातक-निवारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पातक (प्रातिपदिक) + निवारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (समाहार/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषभावः)—‘removal of that sin’

Speaker

Tridaśāḥ (the gods)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The devas fall silent in deep thought, then speak with resolve, announcing they will reveal a sin-warding means.

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma provides a prescribed path (upāya) for purification when approached with sincerity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The named Setu tīrtha is introduced in the next verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A promise to reveal the method of sin-removal; details follow.