Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

विवाहकाले विप्राणां रूपं कृत्वा द्विजन्मनः । तत्रागत्य दुराधर्षो नीत्वा दांपत्यमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

vivāhakāle viprāṇāṃ rūpaṃ kṛtvā dvijanmanaḥ | tatrāgatya durādharṣo nītvā dāṃpatyamuttamam

Translation

คราวพิธีวิวาห์ เขาแปลงกายเป็นพราหมณ์ สวมกิริยาดุจทวิชะ; แล้วมาที่นั่น ผู้ยากจะต้านทาน และฉกพาคู่ครองอันประเสริฐไป

Word by Word

• विवाहकाले: at the time of marriage
• विवाहकाले: अधिकरण (Time locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाह (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विवाहस्य कालः)

• विप्राणाम्: of the brāhmaṇas
• विप्राणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• रूपम्: form / appearance
• रूपम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made / assuming
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• द्विजन्मनः: of the twice-born (brāhmaṇa)
• द्विजन्मनः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (संख्या) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (द्वे जन्मनी यस्य)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Place locus)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of place)

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+गम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund)

• दुराधर्षः: hard to resist / invincible
• दुराधर्षः: कर्ता (Subject; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + आधर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्/दुर्-तत्पुरुषार्थ (दुराधर्ष = difficult to overpower)

• नीत्वा: having led / having taken
• नीत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• दाम्पत्यम्: married state / conjugal union
• दाम्पत्यम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाम्पत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; speaker not explicit in this snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wedding pavilion with sacred fire and garlands; the dānava disguised as a brāhmaṇa approaches, then seizes a newlywed couple amid panic.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
• Dānava/Asura (unnamed)
• Dharmāraṇya (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma often operates through disguise; discernment and protection of dharmic rites are essential.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is the implied sacred region where social-sacramental rites like marriage are meant to flourish.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vivāha (marriage rite) is referenced as the occasion being violated, though no procedural injunction is given.