Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

ब्रह्महत्यादि पापानां प्रायश्चित्तं चिकीर्षुणा । प्रयागं विधिवत्सेव्यं द्विजवाक्यान्न संशयः

Transliteration

brahmahatyādi pāpānāṃ prāyaścittaṃ cikīrṣuṇā | prayāgaṃ vidhivatsevyaṃ dvijavākyānna saṃśayaḥ

Translation

ബ്രഹ്മഹത്യാദി പാപങ്ങൾക്ക് പ്രായശ്ചിത്തം ചെയ്യുവാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവൻ വിധിപൂർവ്വം പ്രയാഗതീർത്ഥം സേവിക്കണം—ഇത് ദ്വിജന്മാരുടെ വചനമാകയാൽ സംശയമില്ല।

Word by Word

• ब्रह्महत्या-आदि: beginning with brahma-hatya (etc.)
• ब्रह्महत्या-आदि: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्महत्या (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुषः (आदि-शब्देन सह); विशेषणम्; स्त्रीलिङ्गे (ब्रह्महत्या-आधारात्), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचनम्

• पापानाम्: of sins
• पापानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचनम्

• प्रायश्चित्तम्: expiation
• प्रायश्चित्तम्: Karma/Predicate nominal (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• चिकीर्षुणा: by one wishing to do (perform)
• चिकीर्षुणा: Karana/Agent-instrumental (तृतीया—कर्तृसाधनभाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + चिकीर्षु (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इच्छार्थक-तुमुन्-समर्थः ‘चिकीर्षु’ (desiderative adjectival derivative); पुल्लिङ्गम्, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचनम्; कर्तृविशेषणम्

• प्रयागम्: Prayāga
• प्रयागम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्

• विधिवत्: according to rule
• विधिवत्: Manner (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• सेव्यम्: to be served/visited
• सेव्यम्: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव् (धातु) + सेव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययः (यत्/ण्यत्-भावः), विधेय-विशेषणम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; ‘प्रयागम्’ इत्यस्य विधेयम्

• द्विज-वाक्यात्: from the statement of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विज-वाक्यात्: Hetu/Source (पञ्चमी—हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: द्विजस्य वाक्यम्); नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचनम्

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपातः (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गम्, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prayāga (Triveṇī-saṅgama)

Type: sangam

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: viprendra (a leading brāhmaṇa addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A penitent pilgrim approaches the Triveṇī-saṅgama with folded hands; brāhmaṇas instruct him in rite; river confluence gleams with ritual lamps and offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Prayāga
• Brahmahatyā
• Dwijas (Brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even grave wrongdoing can be addressed through dharmic expiation when undertaken at an especially potent tīrtha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prayāga, recommended as a foremost place for prāyaścitta.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

To ‘serve/visit’ Prayāga vidhivat—according to proper scriptural procedure—for expiatory purpose.