Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

अष्टादशसहस्राणि किमर्थं स्थापितानि वै । कस्मिन्नंशे समुत्पन्ना ब्राह्मणा ब्रह्म सत्तमाः

Transliteration

aṣṭādaśasahasrāṇi kimarthaṃ sthāpitāni vai | kasminnaṃśe samutpannā brāhmaṇā brahma sattamāḥ

Translation

เหตุไฉนจึงได้สถาปนาพราหมณ์ถึงหนึ่งหมื่นแปดพันไว้ที่นี่? และพราหมณ์เหล่านั้น—ผู้ประเสริฐในหมู่ผู้รู้พรหมัน—กำเนิดมาจากอังศะ (aṃśa) ส่วนใด?

Word by Word

• अष्टादशसहस्राणि: eighteen thousand
• अष्टादशसहस्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (अष्टादश सहस्राणि)

• किमर्थम्: for what purpose?
• किमर्थम्: Sambandha (Purpose-query/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक अव्यय; तत्पुरुष-समास (किम् अर्थम्)

• स्थापितानि: were established
• स्थापितानि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु) + णिच् → स्थापय; क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; कर्मणि—‘were established’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• कस्मिन्: in which
• कस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अंशे: part/portion
• अंशे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• समुत्पन्नाः: arose/were born
• समुत्पन्नाः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+उत्+√पद्/√पन् (धातु; उत्पद्यते) ; क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; ‘arisen/originated’

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• ब्रह्म: O Brahman (sage)
• ब्रह्म: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा (8/1), एकवचन; संबोधनार्थे

• सत्तमाः: the best/excellent
• सत्तमाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; ‘श्रेष्ठ’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; ब्राह्मणाः इत्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (questioner in the dialogue frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya Kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The questioner emphasizes the striking number ‘aṣṭādaśa-sahasrāṇi’ while the sage gestures toward an imagined assembly of Veda-knowers or a settlement of ritual fires.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharmic institutions at tīrthas are purposeful—rooted in sacred origin and intended for the welfare of the land.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya; the verse focuses on its Brāhmaṇa establishment as part of its sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it asks about purpose and lineage/origin.