Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

चोरान्दुष्टांश्च बाधेथाः सुनीत्या शक्तिमत्तया । स्नाने जपे च होमे च दैवे पित्र्ये च कर्मणि

Transliteration

corānduṣṭāṃśca bādhethāḥ sunītyā śaktimattayā | snāne jape ca home ca daive pitrye ca karmaṇi

Translation

จงปราบโจรและคนชั่วด้วยนโยบายอันดีและด้วยกำลัง จงหมั่นในพิธีชำระกาย การสวดมนต์ภาวนา (ชปะ) การบูชาไฟ (โหมะ) และกรรมพิธีแด่เทวะและบรรพชน

Word by Word

• चोरान्: thieves
• चोरान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• दुष्टान्: wicked people
• दुष्टान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• बाधेथाः: should restrain/oppose
• बाधेथाः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बाध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन — Optative, 2nd person, Singular; परस्मैपद

• सुनीत्या: by good policy/right conduct
• सुनीत्या: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुनीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन — Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• शक्तिमत्तया: with strength/power
• शक्तिमत्तया: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्तिमत्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन — Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• स्नाने: in bathing
• स्नाने: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Neuter, Locative, Singular

• जपे: in mantra-recitation
• जपे: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular

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

• होमे: in fire-offering
• होमे: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular

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

• दैवे: in rites for the gods
• दैवे: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Locative, Singular

• पित्र्ये: in ancestral rites
• पित्र्ये: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पित्र्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Locative, Singular

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

• कर्मणि: in (religious) acts
• कर्मणि: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic instruction within Brahmottara Khaṇḍa narrative)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two-part tableau: (1) the king’s guards restrain thieves at a city gate under a banner of dharma; (2) the same king at dawn by a river performs snāna and japa, with a small homa fire and offerings to devas and pitṛs.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma joins outer order and inner purity: rule firmly against wrongdoing while maintaining regular sacred disciplines and rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse outlines duties rather than pilgrimage praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (ritual bathing), japa (mantra repetition), homa (fire offering), and daiva/pitṛ rites (for deities and ancestors) are explicitly mentioned.