Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मचारी गृहस्थो वा कन्या वापि सभर्त्तृका । विभर्तृका वा संपूज्य लभते वरमीप्सितम्

Transliteration

brahmacārī gṛhastho vā kanyā vāpi sabharttṛkā | vibhartṛkā vā saṃpūjya labhate varamīpsitam

Translation

బ్రహ్మచారి అయినా గృహస్థుడైనా, కన్య అయినా భర్తతో ఉన్న స్త్రీ అయినా, విధవ అయినా—విధివిధానంగా పూజిస్తే కోరిన వరం లభిస్తుంది.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मचारी: a celibate student (brahmacārin)
• ब्रह्मचारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘ब्रह्मचर्यं चरति’ इति अर्थे नाम

• गृहस्थः: a householder
• गृहस्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle: “or”)

• कन्या: a maiden/girl
• कन्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (particle: “also/even”)

• सभर्तृका: having a husband
• सभर्तृका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स- + भर्तृका (प्रातिपदिक); भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘भर्ता अस्ति यस्याः सा’ (having a husband)

• विभर्तृका: without a husband (husbandless)
• विभर्तृका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि- + भर्तृका (प्रातिपदिक); भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘विभर्तृका’ = वि-भर्तृका (husbandless/without a husband)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• संपूज्य: having duly worshipped
• संपूज्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘सम्यक् पूजयित्वा’ (having duly worshipped)

• लभते: obtains
• लभते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ईप्सितम्: desired
• ईप्सितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईप्सित (प्रातिपदिक; √आप्/ईप्स्-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (desired)

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa; likely the main narrator addressing a listener)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A mixed assembly—brahmacārin with staff, gṛhastha couple, a maiden, a married woman, and a widow—stand before a sanctified altar, offering flowers and lamps; the deity/vrata-symbol radiates impartial grace.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sincere and proper worship is universally accessible and fruitful, regardless of social status or life-stage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it states a general phala (benefit) of worship within the Brahmottarakhaṇḍa context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Saṃpūjā—complete and proper worship (pūjā) as the means to obtain the desired boon.