Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

अज्ञानतो हि यज्जातं पापं तस्य प्रतिक्रिया । कथिता धर्म्मशास्त्रज्ञैः सकामस्य न विद्यते

Transliteration

ajñānato hi yajjātaṃ pāpaṃ tasya pratikriyā | kathitā dharmmaśāstrajñaiḥ sakāmasya na vidyate

Translation

บาปที่เกิดจากความไม่รู้ บรรดาผู้รู้ธรรมศาสตราได้กล่าววิธีแก้ไว้; แต่บาปที่ทำด้วยเจตนาโดยรู้ตัว ย่อมไม่เป็นที่ยอมรับว่ามีวิธีแก้เช่นนั้น

Word by Word

• अज्ञानतः: out of ignorance
• अज्ञानतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) — 'from/through ignorance'

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• यत्: which (that)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (relative pronoun)

• जातम्: arisen
• जातम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; 'born/arisen'

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचन (genitive)

• प्रतिक्रिया: remedy/atonement
• प्रतिक्रिया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• कथिता: is stated
• कथिता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्मणि/कर्तरि-प्रयोगानुसार 'has been stated/said'

• धर्म्मशास्त्रज्ञैः: by the knowers of dharma-śāstra
• धर्म्मशास्त्रज्ञैः: Karana (Agent-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मशास्त्रज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक: धर्म + शास्त्र + ज्ञ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धर्मशास्त्रस्य ज्ञाः)

• सकामस्य: of one acting with desire
• सकामस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय (कामेन सह/कामयुक्तः)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• विद्यते: exists
• विद्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; 'exists/is found'

Speaker

Bṛhaspati

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solemn dharma-teacher in a Himalayan hermitage near Kedāra instructs a remorseful pilgrim about the difference between ignorance-born and willful sin; snowy peaks and a river/pond frame the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhaspati
• Dharmaśāstra-jñas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Intention matters in dharma: ignorance allows correction, while willful wrongdoing is treated as far more severe.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse is doctrinal instruction delivered within the Kedārakhaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Only the principle is stated—remedies exist for ignorance-born sin; no specific ritual is listed here.