Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 43
इयं विशुद्धिरज्ञानाद्धत्वा चाकामतो द्विजम् । कामतो ब्राह्मणवधे निष्कृतिर्न विधीयते
iyaṃ viśuddhirajñānāddhatvā cākāmato dvijam | kāmato brāhmaṇavadhe niṣkṛtirna vidhīyate
അജ്ഞാനത്താൽ അനവധിയായി ഒരു ദ്വിജനെ വധിച്ചാൽ ഈ ശുദ്ധി പ്രയോഗ്യമാണ്. എന്നാൽ ഉദ്ദേശപൂർവ്വം ബ്രാഹ്മണവധം ചെയ്താൽ യാതൊരു നിഷ്കൃതിയും വിധിക്കപ്പെടുന്നില്ല.
Unspecified (didactic voice within Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (ethical-expiatory teaching context)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A solemn council scene: elders explain the difference between accidental and deliberate killing; the penitent is grief-stricken; a dharma-scale motif or manuscript underscores ‘intent’ as decisive.
FAQs
Intention matters in dharma: accidental wrongdoing may be purified, while deliberate grievous harm is treated as beyond ordinary expiation.
The rule is taught within the Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya setting, linking moral discipline to pilgrimage sanctity.
It distinguishes cases where prāyaścitta/niṣkṛti is applicable (unintentional) versus not prescribed (intentional brāhmaṇa-killing).