Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

रक्तेन तस्य मे शूलं निर्मलं नैव जायते । शुभव्रततपोजप्यरतो ब्रह्मन्मया हतः

Transliteration

raktena tasya me śūlaṃ nirmalaṃ naiva jāyate | śubhavratatapojapyarato brahmanmayā hataḥ

Translation

ਉਸ ਦੇ ਖੂਨ ਨਾਲ ਮੇਰਾ ਤ੍ਰਿਸ਼ੂਲ ਬਿਲਕੁਲ ਵੀ ਪਵਿੱਤਰ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੋਇਆ। ਹੇ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਨ, ਭਾਵੇਂ ਉਹ ਸ਼ੁਭ ਵਰਤਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਤਪੱਸਿਆ ਵਿੱਚ ਲੀਨ ਸੀ, ਫਿਰ ਵੀ ਮੈਂ ਉਸਨੂੰ ਮਾਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ।

Word by Word

• रक्तेन: by blood
• रक्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण-भाव (instrumental)

• तस्य: of him/that (demon)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (enclitic)

• शूलम्: trident/spear
• शूलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• निर्मलम्: pure, clean
• निर्मलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘शूलम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• एव: indeed, at all
• एव: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis: just/indeed)

• जायते: becomes, comes to be
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शुभव्रततपोजप्यरतः: devoted to good vows, austerity and recitation
• शुभव्रततपोजप्यरतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + जप्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; जप्+यत् ‘to be muttered’) + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (शुभ-व्रत-तपो-जप्य-रतः = ‘devoted to auspicious vows, austerity and recitation’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘(एष दानवः)’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (Brahmā)
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; संबोधन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Agent-instrumental/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• हतः: slain
• हतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) → हत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; predicate adjective (slain)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva holds the trident, looking contemplative; the trident’s tip is stained, symbolizing unresolved impurity; Brahmā listens as Śiva expresses moral concern over slaying a vow-keeping ascetic demon.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Brahmā
• Śūla (trident)
• Andhaka (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

External observances (vrata, tapas, japa) do not by themselves confer purity when aligned with adharma; inner intent and righteousness are decisive.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named yet; the verse motivates the ensuing tīrtha-yātrā for purification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vrata (vows), tapas (austerity), and japa (recitation) are referenced, but not prescribed; they are discussed in relation to moral fitness.