Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

कर्णाटस्य वधोपायं मंत्रयंति द्विजर्षभाः । विचार्यमाणे तैर्दैवाद्वाग्जाता चाशरीरिणी

Transliteration

karṇāṭasya vadhopāyaṃ maṃtrayaṃti dvijarṣabhāḥ | vicāryamāṇe tairdaivādvāgjātā cāśarīriṇī

Translation

Para resi unggul dalam kalangan dwija, gagah bagaikan lembu jantan, bermusyawarah tentang upaya membunuh Karṇāṭa. Ketika mereka sedang menimbang, dengan ketentuan Ilahi terdengarlah suara tanpa jasad yang berkata.

Word by Word

• कर्णाटस्य: of Karṇāṭa
• कर्णाटस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णाट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• वधोपायम्: means of killing
• वधोपायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध (प्रातिपदिक) + उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वधस्य उपायः)

• मन्त्रयन्ति: they deliberate/consult
• मन्त्रयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्त्रय् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• द्विजर्षभाः: best of the twice-born
• द्विजर्षभाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः ‘द्विजानां ऋषभाः’ (best among brahmins)

• विचार्यमाणे: while (it was) being discussed
• विचार्यमाणे: Sati-saptami (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-चर् (धातु) + यमान (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present passive participle, शानच्/यमान); सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; लोकेटिव्-अब्सोल्यूट (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध) = ‘while being considered’

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• दैवात्: by fate
• दैवात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) = ‘by fate/from destiny’

• वाक्: a voice/speech
• वाक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जाता: arose/was born
• जाता: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle, क्त); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वाक् इति विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक

• अशरीरिणी: bodiless
• अशरीरिणी: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-शरीरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (शरीरं न अस्ति यस्याः)

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (contextual; likely Sūta-style narration within Brāhma Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: rājan (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages in intense discussion about defeating Karṇāṭa; suddenly a luminous, unseen voice indicated by a radiant aura in the sky, all heads turned upward in astonishment.

Characters & Entities

• Karṇāṭa
• Dvijarṣabhās (eminent Brāhmaṇas)
• Aśarīriṇī Vāk (disembodied voice)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma is endangered, divine guidance can arise to direct action toward a righteous resolution.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is directly named in this verse; it emphasizes divine intervention within the Dharmāraṇya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not yet; the verse introduces an oracle-like instruction that will guide the next steps.