Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

विध्वंसयेच्च यज्ञादीन्होमद्रव्याणि भक्षयेत् । वेदिका दीर्घिका दृष्ट्वा कश्मलेन प्रदूषयेत्

Transliteration

vidhvaṃsayecca yajñādīnhomadravyāṇi bhakṣayet | vedikā dīrghikā dṛṣṭvā kaśmalena pradūṣayet

Translation

அவன் யாகாதிகளை அழித்தான், ஹோமப் பொருட்களை விழுங்கினான்; வேதிகளையும் புனிதத் தீர்த்தக் குளங்களையும் கண்டு அவற்றை அசுத்தத்தால் மாசுபடுத்தினான்।

Word by Word

• विध्वंसयेत्: would destroy
• विध्वंसयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ध्वंसय् (धातु; ध्वंस्-णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• यज्ञादीन्: sacrifices and the like
• यज्ञादीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ प्रत्ययार्थक-समासान्त (yajñas and the like)

• होमद्रव्याणि: materials for oblations
• होमद्रव्याणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (होमस्य द्रव्याणि)

• भक्षयेत्: would eat/devour
• भक्षयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• वेदिकाम्: altar
• वेदिकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दीर्घिकाम्: tank/pond
• दीर्घिकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीर्घिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Adverbial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• कश्मलेन: with impurity/defilement
• कश्मलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• प्रदूषयेत्: would defile
• प्रदूषयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दूष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dīrghikā (sacred tank) within Dharmāraṇyaka (implied)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Lohāsura wrecks yajña arrangements, consumes offerings, and defiles altars and sacred tanks with impurity; priests and devotees look on in horror as smoke and scattered implements fill the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Lohāsura
• Yajña
• Homa
• Vedikā
• Dīrghikā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desecration of sacred rites and spaces is a mark of adharma; purity of worship and tīrthas must be protected.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Sacred tanks (dīrghikās) and altars are referenced generally within Dharmāraṇya; no single named tirtha appears in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Indirectly, it underscores the inviolability of yajña/homa materials and the requirement to keep altars and sacred waters free from defilement.