Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

ततस्तं तेजसा हीनं दुर्गंधेन समावृतम् । ब्रह्महत्योद्भवैश्चिह्नैरन्यैरपि पृथग्विधैः

Transliteration

tatastaṃ tejasā hīnaṃ durgaṃdhena samāvṛtam | brahmahatyodbhavaiścihnairanyairapi pṛthagvidhaiḥ

Translation

പിന്നീട് അവർ അവനെ തേജസ്സില്ലാത്തവനായി, ദുർഗന്ധം മൂടിയവനായി, ബ്രഹ്മഹത്യയിൽ നിന്നുയർന്ന ചിഹ്നങ്ങളാലും മറ്റു നാനാവിധ മാലിന്യങ്ങളാലും അടയാളപ്പെട്ടവനായി കണ്ടു।

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• तेजसा: by radiance, in splendor
• तेजसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम्; हेतौ/साधने (by/with respect to)

• हीनम्: devoid (of)
• हीनम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तम् विशेषयति

• दुर्गन्धेन: with foul odor
• दुर्गन्धेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् + गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘bad smell’), पुल्लिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• समावृतम्: covered, enveloped
• समावृतम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-√वृ (धातु) → समावृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तम् विशेषयति

• ब्रह्महत्योद्भवैः: arising from brahmin-slaying (sin)
• ब्रह्महत्योद्भवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्महत्या + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘arising from brahma-hatyā’), पुल्लिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे (contextual; agrees with ‘चिह्नैः’), तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• चिह्नैः: by marks, signs
• चिह्नैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• अन्यैः: with other
• अन्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे (agrees with चिह्नैः), तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle)

• पृथग्विधैः: of various kinds
• पृथग्विधैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथक् + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘various/different kinds’), पुल्लिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे (agrees with चिह्नैः), तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; specific speaker not stated in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A figure appears dim and tainted: dulled complexion, a haze of foulness, and ominous marks indicating brahmahatyā; onlookers recoil or gaze with concern.

Characters & Entities

• Brahma-hatyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sin diminishes tejas (spiritual radiance) and manifests as visible/experiential suffering; purification and atonement are central to restoring dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named in this verse; the broader Tīrthamāhātmya context suggests a setting where purification would be possible, but the place is not specified here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated in this verse; it describes the condition associated with brahma-hatyā.