Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 323

कुमाराभिषेकप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Kumāra (Skanda) Investiture at Sarasvatī

कथमसम्मिंश्व तीर्थे वै आप्लुत्याकल्मषो5भवत्‌ | जनमेजयने पूछा--ब्रह्मन! भगवान्‌ इन्द्रको ब्रह्महत्याका पाप कैसे लगा तथा वे किस प्रकार इस तीर्थमें स्नान करके पापमुक्त हुए थे?

janamejaya uvāca | katham asmin tīrthe vai āplutya akalmaṣo 'bhavat |

Джанамеджая спросил: «Как он, омывшись в этом священном тиртхе, стал свободен от скверны? О брахман, как благословенный Индра навлёк на себя грех брахмахатьи и каким образом, омывшись в этом тиртхе, избавился от той вины?»

कथम्how?
कथम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम्
अस्मिन्in this
अस्मिन्:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
Formmasculine/neuter, locative, singular
तीर्थेat the sacred ford/pilgrimage place
तीर्थे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootतीर्थ
Formneuter, locative, singular
वैindeed
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
आप्लुत्यhaving bathed/dipped
आप्लुत्य:
TypeVerb
Rootप्लु
Formabsolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), active
अकल्मषःfree from sin/taint
अकल्मषः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअकल्मष
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
अभवत्became/was
अभवत्:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
Formimperfect (लङ्), 3rd, singular, active

जनमेजय उवाच

J
Janamejaya
I
Indra
T
tīrtha (sacred bathing place)
B
Brāhmaṇa (the sage addressed)

Educational Q&A

Even the mightiest can incur grave moral taint through wrongful acts; purification requires acknowledgement of fault and recourse to dharmic means of expiation—here symbolized by the sanctifying power of a tīrtha and the discipline of ritual atonement.

King Janamejaya asks the narrating Brāhmaṇa-sage to explain a specific tradition: how Indra came to bear the guilt of brahmahatyā and how, by bathing at a particular sacred tīrtha, he became free from that impurity.