Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

गच्छत त्वरिताः सर्वे शक्रं द्रष्टुं विचक्षणाः । ब्रह्महत्याभिभूतोऽसौ यत्रास्ते सुरसत्तमः

Transliteration

gacchata tvaritāḥ sarve śakraṃ draṣṭuṃ vicakṣaṇāḥ | brahmahatyābhibhūto'sau yatrāste surasattamaḥ

Translation

“നിങ്ങൾ എല്ലാവരും വിവേകികൾ വേഗത്തിൽ പോകുവിൻ, ശക്രൻ (ഇന്ദ്രൻ) ദർശിക്കുവാൻ; ആ ദേവശ്രേഷ്ഠൻ ബ്രഹ്മഹത്യാപാപം മൂലം അഭിഭൂതനായി എവിടെ ഇരിക്കുകയാണോ അവിടെയാണു।”

Word by Word

• गच्छत: go
• गच्छत: क्रिया (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• त्वरिताः: hastened/quick
• त्वरिताः: विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वरित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; भूतकृत् (क्त)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• शक्रम्: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• द्रष्टुम्: to see
• द्रष्टुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → द्रष्टुम् (तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (infinitive of purpose)

• विचक्षणाः: discerning/wise
• विचक्षणाः: विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ब्रह्महत्याभिभूतः: overpowered by the sin of brahmin-slaying
• ब्रह्महत्याभिभूतः: विशेषण (Qualifier of असौ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्महत्या + अभि + भू (धातु) → अभिभूत (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्महत्यया अभिभूतः = overpowered by brahmahatyā)

• असौ: that one (he)
• असौ: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: अधिकरण (Relative location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative locative adverb: where)

• आस्ते: sits/remains
• आस्ते: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• सुरसत्तमः: the best of the gods
• सुरसत्तमः: कर्ता (Apposition to असौ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सुराणां सत्तमः = best among gods)

Speaker

Śacī (as quoted within Lomaśa’s narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Assembled devas (addressed as vicakṣaṇāḥ)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śacī urges the devas to hurry; in a secluded spot Indra sits withdrawn, shadowed, head bowed under the weight of brahmahatyā, while the searching host approaches.

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Devas
• Brahmahatyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the mighty are bound by moral law; grave wrongdoing brings affliction, and reconciliation requires seeking and addressing the cause.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named in this verse; it sets up the episode of Indra’s affliction within Kedārakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is described here; it implies the need for remedial action/atonement due to brahmahatyā.