Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

पश्चिमस्तनयो धीमान्धार्मिको वेदशास्त्रवित् । एते विश्रवसः पुत्रा दशग्रीवादयो द्विजाः

Transliteration

paścimastanayo dhīmāndhārmiko vedaśāstravit | ete viśravasaḥ putrā daśagrīvādayo dvijāḥ

Translation

Putera bongsu itu bijaksana, berpegang pada dharma, serta arif tentang Weda dan śāstra. Wahai para dvija, inilah putera-putera Viśravas—bermula dengan Daśagrīva.

Word by Word

• paścimaḥ: the last
• paścimaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paścima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (last)

• tanayaḥ: son
• tanayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tanaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• dhīmān: wise
• dhīmān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhīmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• dhārmikaḥ: righteous
• dhārmikaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhārmika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• vedaśāstravit: knower of the Vedas and śāstras
• vedaśāstravit: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + vid (धातु) → vit (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (veda-śāstra-vid = knower of Veda and śāstra)

• ete: these
• ete: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• viśravasaḥ: of Viśravas
• viśravasaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठī)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśravas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of Viśravas)

• putrāḥ: sons
• putrāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• daśagrīvādayaḥ: Daśagrīva and others
• daśagrīvādayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśagrīva (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘-ādayaḥ’ = “beginning with” (group designation)

• dvijāḥ: twice-born (Brahmins)
• dvijāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator within Setukhaṇḍa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu/Rāmeśvara (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijāḥ (explicitly addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vibhīṣaṇa portrayed as the youngest, seated with Vedic manuscripts, calm and luminous, while his brothers appear imposing in the background—an ethical chiaroscuro. The sea horizon hints at his later crossing to Rāma’s camp near Setu.

Characters & Entities

• Viśravas
• Daśagrīva (Rāvaṇa)
• Vibhīṣaṇa (implied as youngest)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scriptural knowledge and righteousness define true greatness; the Purāṇa highlights the dhārmika exemplar even among rākṣasa kin.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu/Rāmeśvaram, as the surrounding Setukhaṇḍa culminates in Rāma’s act of establishing Rāmeśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.