Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

द्वादशाब्दं कनिष्ठोपि ब्रह्महत्याव्रतं द्विजाः । चरित्वा सत्रयागेऽस्मिन्नाजगाम पुनर्मुदा

Transliteration

dvādaśābdaṃ kaniṣṭhopi brahmahatyāvrataṃ dvijāḥ | caritvā satrayāge'sminnājagāma punarmudā

Translation

โอ้ทวิชะทั้งหลาย แม้ผู้น้องนั้นได้ถือพรตไถ่บาปแห่งพราหมณ์ฆาต (พรหมหัตยา) ครบสิบสองปีแล้ว ก็กลับมายังสัตระยัญนี้อีกครั้งด้วยความปีติ

Word by Word

• द्वादशाब्दम्: for twelve years
• द्वादशाब्दम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (द्वादश + अब्दः) = ‘twelve years’ (कालपरिमाण)

• कनिष्ठः: the youngest (brother)
• कनिष्ठः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अपि=also/even)

• ब्रह्महत्याव्रतम्: the vow/penance for brahmin-slaying
• ब्रह्महत्याव्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्महत्या (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्महत्यायाः व्रतम्)

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजाः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे अपि (हे द्विजाः)

• चरित्वा: having observed/performed
• चरित्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• सत्रयागे: in the satra-sacrifice
• सत्रयागे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सत्रस्य यागः)

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• आजगाम: came/returned
• आजगाम: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (काल/पुनरावृत्ति-क्रियाविशेषण)

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन (करण/भावे)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator, contextually Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa tradition)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijāḥ (explicit address)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The younger brother, lean from austerities, returns after twelve years; his face bright with relief and joy; the satra continues in the background.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even grave sins are approached through prescribed prāyaścitta; disciplined vrata restores eligibility for sacred participation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setukhaṇḍa broadly glorifies Setu/Rāmeśvaram, but this verse emphasizes expiation and return to yajña rather than a specific tirtha act.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A twelve-year brahmahatyā-vrata (expiatory vow) as a means of purification.