Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

ऋत्विग्भ्यो होतृमुख्येभ्यः प्रददौ पापनाशनम् । सवित्रे ब्रह्मणे चैकमत्युग्रतरतेजसम्

Transliteration

ṛtvigbhyo hotṛmukhyebhyaḥ pradadau pāpanāśanam | savitre brahmaṇe caikamatyugrataratejasam

Translation

เขามอบส่วนอันลบล้างบาปแก่เหล่าฤตวิก โดยมีโหตฤเป็นประธาน และมอบอีกส่วนหนึ่งแก่พระสวิตฤและพระพรหมา ซึ่งส่องประกายด้วยเดชานุภาพอันเข้มกล้าอย่างยิ่ง

Word by Word

• ऋत्विग्भ्यः: to the priests (ṛtviks)
• ऋत्विग्भ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी (Dative/4th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• होतृमुख्येभ्यः: to those headed by the Hotṛ
• होतृमुख्येभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient-qualifier/सम्प्रदान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: होतृ (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी (Dative/4th), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

• प्रददौ: gave/distributed
• प्रददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्; उपसर्गः प्र-

• पापनाशनम्: sin-destroying (portion/thing)
• पापनाशनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सवित्रे: to Savitṛ
• सवित्रे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• ब्रह्मणे: to Brahmā / to the Brahman-priest
• ब्रह्मणे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Connector (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एकम्: one (portion)
• एकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• अति-उग्र-तर-तेजसम्: of exceedingly more fierce brilliance
• अति-उग्र-तर-तेजसम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + उग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + तर (तद्धित/तुलनाप्रत्यय) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण; अतिशयार्थक (intensified comparative)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in third-person narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gandhamādana (ṛtvik-satkāra and deva-bhāga context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Adhvaryu distributes sacred portions to ṛtviks led by the Hotṛ; a distinct, intensely radiant portion is set aside for Savitṛ and Brahmā, depicted as a concentrated blaze of tejas above the offering plate.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛtvij
• Hotṛ
• Savitṛ
• Brahmā
• Pāpa-nāśana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Consecrated gifts given in the course of yajña uphold cosmic order and are described as pāpa-nāśana, removing moral impurities.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setukhaṇḍa’s sacred region forms the background; this verse emphasizes yajña-dharma rather than a specific bathing spot.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Apportioning consecrated shares to the ṛtviks (especially the Hotṛ) and offering a distinct portion to deities such as Savitṛ (and Brahmā).