Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 154

Devanagari script

ये ब्राह्मणार्थे भृत्यार्थे स्वार्थे वै शस्त्रपाणयः । संग्रामं ये प्रकुर्वंति महापातकिनो नराः

Transliteration

ye brāhmaṇārthe bhṛtyārthe svārthe vai śastrapāṇayaḥ | saṃgrāmaṃ ye prakurvaṃti mahāpātakino narāḥ

Translation

ผู้ที่ถืออาวุธทำศึกเพื่อประโยชน์แห่งพราหมณ์ เพื่อผู้พึ่งพา/ผู้รับใช้ หรือเพื่อสิทธิอันชอบธรรมของตน ย่อมไม่เป็นที่ติเตียน; แต่ผู้ใดก่อสงครามด้วยอธรรม ผู้นั้นเป็นมหาบาป

Word by Word

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन — Nominative Plural

• ब्राह्मणार्थे: for the sake of a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणार्थे: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Locative Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्राह्मणस्य अर्थः)

• भृत्यार्थे: for the sake of a servant/dependent
• भृत्यार्थे: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Locative Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भृत्यस्य अर्थः)

• स्वार्थे: for one’s own sake
• स्वार्थे: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Locative Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य अर्थः)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — निश्चयार्थक (indeed)

• शस्त्रपाणयः: those with weapons in hand
• शस्त्रपाणयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन — Nominative Plural; बहुव्रीहिः (शस्त्रं पाणौ येषां ते)

• संग्रामम्: war/battle
• संग्रामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Accusative Singular

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन — Nominative Plural

• प्रकुर्वन्ति: undertake
• प्रकुर्वन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन — they undertake/do

• महापातकिनः: great sinners
• महापातकिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महापातकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन — Nominative Plural; कर्मधारयः (महान् पातकी)

• नराः: men
• नराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन — Nominative Plural

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council scene: a warrior-king consults Brahmins and elders; behind them, imagery of cows and dependents being protected; in contrast, a shadowy figure fans flames of needless war labeled as great sin.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Bhṛtya
• Śastra
• Mahāpātaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

War is morally evaluated by motive and duty: protection of the vulnerable and upholding dharma is distinguished from sinful aggression.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is singled out; the teaching is ethical, framed within Kedārakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a dharma criterion (right motive/right cause) rather than a ritual.