Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

स्वीयेन कर्मणा दक्षो हतो ब्रह्मन्न संशयः

Transliteration

svīyena karmaṇā dakṣo hato brahmanna saṃśayaḥ

Translation

स्वकर्मणा एव दक्षः हतः, ब्रह्मन्—अत्र संशयो नास्ति।

Word by Word

• स्वीयेन: by his own
• स्वीयेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (करण/3rd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Instrumental singular; adjectival)

• कर्मणा: by (his) action/deed
• कर्मणा: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (करण/3rd), एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• दक्षः: Dakṣa
• दक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (कर्ता/1st), एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• हतः: was slain/killed
• हतः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) → हत (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय-विशेषणम् (past passive participle; predicate)

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (O Brahmā)
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन (Vocative singular)

• न: not / no
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negative particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Pradhāna (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular); वाक्ये विधेय-नाम (predicate noun)

Speaker

Śiva (continuing from previous verse)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmā (addressed as Brahman/Parameṣṭhin in adjacent verses)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solemn didactic moment: Rudra (or a sage-voice) declares that Dakṣa’s downfall is self-caused; the atmosphere is grave, with the shadow of the disrupted sacrifice implied rather than shown.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Brahmā
• Dakṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Accountability is central to dharma: harmful pride and wrongdoing mature into consequences through one’s own karma.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

None; the focus is ethical causality within the Dakṣa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.