Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

पीड्यमाना यदा विप्राः केनापि च भवंति हि । पूर्वाह्ने चापि ऋग्वेदं मध्याह्ने च यजूं ष्यथ

Transliteration

pīḍyamānā yadā viprāḥ kenāpi ca bhavaṃti hi | pūrvāhne cāpi ṛgvedaṃ madhyāhne ca yajūṃ ṣyatha

Translation

ଯେତେବେଳେ କେହି ଭାବେ ବିପ୍ରମାନେ ପୀଡିତ ହୁଅନ୍ତି, ସେତେବେଳେ ସେମାନେ ପୂର୍ବାହ୍ନରେ ଋଗ୍ବେଦ ଏବଂ ମଧ୍ୟାହ୍ନରେ ଯଜୁର୍ବେଦ ପାଠ କରନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• पीड्यमानाः: being oppressed
• पीड्यमानाः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pīḍ (धातु) + yamāna (शानच्/मान) → pīḍyamāna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (present passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘विप्राः’ इति विशेषण

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (when)

• विप्राः: brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• केन: by whom/with what
• केन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• अपि: even, any
• अपि: Sambandha (Indefinite/अनिश्चित)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अनिश्चित/अपि-कारार्थक-अव्यय (any/even)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• भवन्ति: they become/are
• भवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक/निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (indeed/for)

• पूर्वाह्ने: in the forenoon
• पूर्वाह्ने: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + ahna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (पूर्वे अह्नि), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Addition/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (also)

• ऋग्वेदम्: the Ṛgveda
• ऋग्वेदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛk (प्रातिपदिक) + veda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (ऋचां वेदः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मध्याह्ने: at midday
• मध्याह्ने: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक) + ahna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (मध्ये अह्नि), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• यजुः: the Yajurveda
• यजुः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (वेद-नाम)

• ष्यथ: you (pl.) recite/read (probable)
• ष्यथ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: (अस्पष्ट-पाठ)
• Form: पाठदूषण/भ्रंश: ‘ष्यथ’ रूपं मानक-व्याकरणे न सुस्पष्टम्; सन्दर्भतः सम्भाव्यं ‘पठथ/पठथ’ (लोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन) वा ‘पठिष्यथ’ (लृट्, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (contextual instruction within the narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Oppressed brāhmaṇas gather and respond not with weapons but with disciplined Vedic recitation: Ṛgveda in the forenoon, Yajurveda at midday, forming a protective sonic canopy.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
• Ṛgveda
• Yajurveda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vedic sound (śruti) is presented as a protective force sustaining dharma when the righteous are threatened.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the focus is on protective practice within a sanctified precinct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Time-specific recitation: Ṛgveda in the forenoon and Yajurveda at midday during times of oppression.