Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

भस्मनश्चापि माहात्म्यं वर्णयामि समासतः । कृतकृत्या भविष्यंति यच्छुत्वा पापिनो जनाः

Transliteration

bhasmanaścāpi māhātmyaṃ varṇayāmi samāsataḥ | kṛtakṛtyā bhaviṣyaṃti yacchutvā pāpino janāḥ

Translation

ਮੈਂ ਭਸਮ (ਪਵਿੱਤਰ ਰਾਖ) ਦੀ ਮਹਿਮਾ ਵੀ ਸੰਖੇਪ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਰਣਨ ਕਰਾਂਗਾ। ਇਸ ਨੂੰ ਸੁਣ ਕੇ ਪਾਪਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਲਦੇ ਲੋਕ ਵੀ ਕ੍ਰਿਤਕ੍ਰਿਤ੍ਯ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ—ਜਿਵੇਂ ਕਰਤਵ੍ਯ ਪੂਰਾ ਹੋ ਗਿਆ ਹੋਵੇ।

Word by Word

• भस्मनः: of ash (sacred ash)
• भस्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) = also

• माहात्म्यम्: greatness, glory
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• वर्णयामि: I describe
• वर्णयामि: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्णय् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• समासतः: briefly
• समासतः: Kriya (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समासतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) = briefly/in summary; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त

• कृतकृत्याः: fulfilled, having accomplished their duty
• कृतकृत्याः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: कृतं कृत्यं येषाम् (those whose duty is done)

• भविष्यन्ति: will become
• भविष्यन्ति: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• यत्: which/that (it)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (because/that which) — here object of श्रुत्वा

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), धातु: श्रु (to hear)

• पापिनः: sinful
• पापिनः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; विशेषण (to जनाः)

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhasma (Vibhūti)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣayaḥ (assembly of sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūta begins teaching on bhasma: a devotee applies three horizontal ash lines on forehead and arms; a sacred fire (agni) glows nearby, symbolizing transformation of impurity into sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Bhasma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred ash is upheld as a powerful Śaiva purifier; even hearing its greatness elevates the sinner toward spiritual completion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the focus is a ritual-sacramental element (bhasma) central to Śaiva dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Hearing (śravaṇa) the bhasma-māhātmya is itself recommended as spiritually transformative.