Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मा बभूव सविता यज्ञस्यार्धधुरं वहन् । बभूव ब्राह्मणाच्छंसी वसिष्ठो ब्रह्मणोत्तमः

Transliteration

brahmā babhūva savitā yajñasyārdhadhuraṃ vahan | babhūva brāhmaṇācchaṃsī vasiṣṭho brahmaṇottamaḥ

Translation

สวิตฤ แบกรับภาระครึ่งหนึ่งแห่งยัญพิธี แล้วเป็นปุโรหิตพรหมา; ส่วนวสิษฐะ ผู้ประเสริฐในหมู่พราหมณ์ เป็นพราหมณาจฉังสี

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• बभूव: became/was
• बभूव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• सविता: Savitṛ (the Sun as impeller)
• सविता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• यज्ञस्य: of the sacrifice
• यज्ञस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अर्धधुरम्: the half-yoke/half-burden
• अर्धधुरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध + धुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अर्धस्य धुरः)

• वहन्: carrying/bearing
• वहन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बभूव: became/was
• बभूव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणात्: from/among the Brāhmaṇas
• ब्राह्मणात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• छंसी: the reciter-priest (śaṃsī)
• छंसी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंसिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ऋत्विक्-विशेषः (शंसक/reciter priest)

• वसिष्ठः: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahman / of the Veda (brahma)
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• उत्तमः: best, foremost
• उत्तमः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (superlative sense)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra (Setubandha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi audience (general)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand Vedic altar by the sea at Setu; Savitṛ and Vasiṣṭha assume priestly stations, holding ladles and ritual implements; the sacrificial fire glows while ocean winds move banners and palm leaves.

Characters & Entities

• Savitṛ
• Vasiṣṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right supervision and sacred speech guard the purity of yajña, sustaining its power and merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu region is the sanctified stage for the Māheśvara kratu; this verse emphasizes priestly guardianship rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The appointment of the Brahmā-priest (overseer) and Brāhmaṇācchaṃsī (specialized reciter) as indispensable offices.