Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

ब्रह्महत्यानिमित्तं ते भयं मा भून्महामते । तवोपदेशं वक्ष्यामि रहस्यं वेदसंमितम्

Transliteration

brahmahatyānimittaṃ te bhayaṃ mā bhūnmahāmate | tavopadeśaṃ vakṣyāmi rahasyaṃ vedasaṃmitam

Translation

“ഹേ മഹാമതേ! ബ്രഹ്മഹത്യാനിമിത്തം നിന്നിൽ ഭയം ഉണ്ടാകരുത്. വേദസമ്മതമായ ഒരു രഹസ്യോപദേശം ഞാൻ നിന്നോട് പറയും।”

Word by Word

• ब्रह्महत्या-निमित्तम्: the cause (arising) from brahmahatyā
• ब्रह्महत्या-निमित्तम्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्महत्या (प्रातिपदिक) + निमित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः — ‘cause due to brahmahatyā’

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘of you/your’

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratishedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (prohibitive particle)

• भूत्: be
• भूत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, तृतीयपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘let it be’ (here with मा: ‘let it not be’)

• महामते: O great-minded one
• महामते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् मति: यस्य)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• उपदेशम्: instruction
• उपदेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वक्ष्यामि: I will tell
• वक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• रहस्यम्: a secret (teaching)
• रहस्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रहस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (उपदेशम् इति कर्मस्य विशेषणरूपेण)

• वेद-संमितम्: in accord with the Vedas
• वेद-संमितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + संमित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, सम्-मा धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः — ‘measured/approved by the Vedas’

Speaker

A bodiless divine voice (continuation)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaṅkara (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An unseen divine speaker consoles a troubled king, the atmosphere shifting from dread to calm resolve; the king’s posture softens into attentive receptivity.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmahatyā
• Veda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even grave sins are addressed within dharma through Veda-aligned guidance, repentance, and sacred practice—fear is replaced by disciplined remedy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu-region’s Shaiva sanctity is implied; the ensuing instruction centers on Rāmanātha at Rāmasetu (Rāmeśvaram tradition).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prāyaścitta teaching is promised; the concrete observances (sevā, abhiṣeka, naivedya, dīpa) are detailed in later verses.