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Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 19

मखार्थं ब्रह्मणा सृष्टाः पशु द्रुम मृगौषधीः । निघ्नन्नहिंसको विप्रस्तासामपि शुभा गतिः

makhārthaṃ brahmaṇā sṛṣṭāḥ paśu druma mṛgauṣadhīḥ | nighnannahiṃsako viprastāsāmapi śubhā gatiḥ

Para o makha (sacrifício), Brahmā criou os animais, as árvores, os veados e as plantas medicinais. Diz-se que o brāhmaṇa que mata com esse propósito sacrificial é não violento; e para esses seres também há um destino auspicioso.

makha-arthamfor the sake of sacrifice
makha-artham:
Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
TypeNoun
Rootmakha (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; मखस्य अर्थः = यज्ञार्थम् (for sacrifice)
brahmaṇāby Brahmā
brahmaṇā:
Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbrahman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण (agent/instrument)
sṛṣṭāḥcreated
sṛṣṭāḥ:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√sṛj (धातु)
Formकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘सृष्टाः’ = created
paśūnanimals
paśūn:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootpaśu (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन
drumāntrees
drumān:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootdruma (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन
mṛga-auṣadhīḥbeasts and herbs
mṛga-auṣadhīḥ:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootmṛga (प्रातिपदिक) + auṣadhī (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (mṛgāś ca auṣadhyaś ca)
nighnankilling
nighnan:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Root√han (धातु)
Formशतृ-प्रत्यय (वर्तमान कृदन्त/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘निघ्नन्’ = killing
ahiṃsakaḥnon-violent
ahiṃsakaḥ:
Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roota-hiṃsaka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (ahiṃsaka = non-violent)
vipraḥa brāhmaṇa
vipraḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootvipra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
tāsāmof them
tāsām:
Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम
apialso/even
api:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय/अपि-कारक-अव्यय (also/even)
śubhāauspicious
śubhā:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootśubha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण
gatiḥdestination/state
gatiḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootgati (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Scene: A Vedic altar scene: a brāhmaṇa officiant performs a makha with strict ritual decorum; surrounding are symbolic representations of animals, trees, deer, and herbs as Brahmā’s created offerings; a luminous path indicates ‘śubhā gati’ for the offered beings.

B
Brahmā

FAQs

Puranic dharma distinguishes ordinary harm from ritually bounded acts framed by yajña; intention and scriptural context are central.

The passage belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa (Kāśī/Vārāṇasī setting), but the verse focuses on yajña-ethics rather than naming a particular tīrtha.

It references makha/yajña as the context in which certain acts are considered sanctioned within Vedic-sacrificial parameters.