Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

ततो ब्रह्मसुतो ज्येष्ठः श्वेतमाल्यानुलेपनः । दक्षिणं बाहुमुद्धत्य धर्मो वचनमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

tato brahmasuto jyeṣṭhaḥ śvetamālyānulepanaḥ | dakṣiṇaṃ bāhumuddhatya dharmo vacanamabravīt

Translation

ਤਦ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਦਾ ਜੇਠਾ ਪੁੱਤਰ ਧਰਮ, ਜੋ ਚਿੱਟੀਆਂ ਮਾਲਾਵਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਸੁਗੰਧਿਤ ਲੇਪ ਨਾਲ ਸਜਿਆ ਸੀ, ਆਪਣਾ ਸੱਜਾ ਬਾਂਹ ਉੱਠਾ ਕੇ ਇਹ ਬਚਨ ਬੋਲਿਆ।

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तर-कालवाचक (thereupon)

• ब्रह्म-सुतः: son of Brahmā
• ब्रह्म-सुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ब्रह्मणः सुतः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ज्येष्ठः: eldest
• ज्येष्ठः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; विशेषणम् (ब्रह्मसुतः)

• श्वेत-माल्य-अनुलेपनः: with white garlands and unguent
• श्वेत-माल्य-अनुलेपनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वेत (प्रातिपदिक) + माल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुलेपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (श्वेतं माल्यं च अनुलेपनं च यस्य/श्वेतमाल्येन अनुलेपनः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; विशेषणम् (धर्मः)

• दक्षिणम्: right
• दक्षिणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular; विशेषणम् (बाहुम्)

• बाहुम्: arm
• बाहुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उद्धत्य: having raised
• उद्धत्य: Kriya-viseshana (Converb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + √हन्/√हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); उद्-उपसर्ग: ‘having lifted/raised’

• धर्मः: Dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — 3rd person singular

Speaker

Dharma (Dharma-deva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dharma, radiant and serene, adorned in white garlands and sandal/unguents, raises his right arm in a formal gesture to speak, commanding the assembly’s attention.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma—embodiment of righteous order—formally begins instruction, signaling that sacred places are upheld by right conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The passage introduces the episode that will explain Stambhatīrtha (the tīrtha associated with pride and its consequence).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is a narrative setup indicating the start of Dharma’s pronouncement.