Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

श्लाघ्यं ब्रह्मबलं चैकं ब्राह्म्यं तेजश्च केवलम्

Transliteration

ślāghyaṃ brahmabalaṃ caikaṃ brāhmyaṃ tejaśca kevalam

Translation

एकमेव ब्रह्मबल प्रशंसनीय आहे; एकमेव ब्राह्म्य तेज परम व श्रेष्ठ आहे।

Word by Word

• श्लाघ्यम्: praiseworthy
• श्लाघ्यम्: Visheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लाघ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (स्तुत्य/प्रशंसनीय)

• ब्रह्मबलम्: the power of Brahman / brahminical power
• ब्रह्मबलम्: Karta/Predicate nominal (contextual)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष; ‘ब्रह्मणः बलम्’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• एकम्: one/alone
• एकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘ब्रह्मबलम्/तेजः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• ब्राह्म्यम्: brahminical
• ब्राह्म्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘तेजः’ इति विशेषण

• तेजः: splendor/energy
• तेजः: Karta/Predicate nominal (contextual)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• केवलम्: only/sole
• केवलम्: Visheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘एकम्’ इत्यर्थे विधेयविशेषण

Speaker

Viśvāmitra (contextual conclusion of lament)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative tableau: Viśvāmitra, now reflective, gazes toward Vasiṣṭha’s radiant presence or an abstract glow symbolizing brahma-tejas; the environment feels purified and still.

Characters & Entities

• Brahma-bala
• Brāhma-tejas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual discipline and realized wisdom surpass physical might and political authority.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it functions as a doctrinal centerpiece within the tīrtha-māhātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly points toward tapas and brahmacarya, but no explicit ritual is stated.