Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

सकामेन कृतं पापमकामं नैव जायते । ताभ्यां विषयभेदेन प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयते

Transliteration

sakāmena kṛtaṃ pāpamakāmaṃ naiva jāyate | tābhyāṃ viṣayabhedena prāyaścittaṃ vidhīyate

Translation

ഉദ്ദേശപൂർവ്വം ചെയ്ത പാപം, അനുദ്ദേശ്യമായി/അകാമമായി സംഭവിച്ച പാപത്തോട് ഒരുപോലെയല്ല; ഈ വ്യത്യാസമനുസരിച്ച് പ്രായശ്ചിത്തം നിർദ്ദേശിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു।

Word by Word

• सकामेन: by one with desire
• सकामेन: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय (कामयुक्तः)

• कृतम्: committed
• कृतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; 'done/committed'

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• अकामम्: desireless (without intent)
• अकामम्: Gati/Result (Result-state/फल)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्मधारय (कामरहितम्)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• जायते: arises
• जायते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; 'is born/arises'

• ताभ्याम्: from those two (cases)
• ताभ्याम्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया/पञ्चमी द्विवचन; 'by/from those two' (ref. सकाम, अकाम)

• विषयभेदेन: by difference of subject-matter
• विषयभेदेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषयभेद (प्रातिपदिक: विषय + भेद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विषयस्य भेदः)

• प्रायश्चित्तम्: expiation
• प्रायश्चित्तम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• विधीयते: is prescribed
• विधीयते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु) उपसर्ग वि + धा; कर्मणि
• Form: लट्-लकार; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive) 'is prescribed/ordained'

Speaker

Bṛhaspati

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A judge-like sage explains two paths of expiation, showing a balance scale: one side labeled kāma (intent), the other akāma (unintentional), with a pilgrim listening beside sacred waters.

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhaspati

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma evaluates both deed and intent; spiritual remedies are tailored to the nature of the fault.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the instruction occurs within the Kedārakhaṇḍa sacred narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse states that prāyaścitta varies by circumstance, without detailing a particular vow or rite.