Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

ब्रह्महत्योद्भवं पापं सर्वेषां तत्र जायते । तस्मादभ्यागतो यस्तु दूरादपि विशेषतः

Transliteration

brahmahatyodbhavaṃ pāpaṃ sarveṣāṃ tatra jāyate | tasmādabhyāgato yastu dūrādapi viśeṣataḥ

Translation

แล้วบาปอันเกิดจากพรหมหัตยา—อาชญากรรมศักดิ์สิทธิ์อันหนักยิ่ง—ย่อมบังเกิดแก่พวกเขาทั้งหมด ดังนั้น โดยเฉพาะเมื่อมีผู้มาขอพึ่งแม้จากแดนไกล—

Word by Word

• ब्रह्महत्या-उद्भवम्: arising from brahma-hatya (killing a Brahmin)
• ब्रह्महत्या-उद्भवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्महत्या (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्महत्यायाः उद्भवः)

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

• सर्वेषाम्: of all (persons)
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्य-प्रयोग), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• जायते: arises/is produced
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana (From that/तस्मात्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अभ्यागतः: one who has come/arrived
• अभ्यागतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभि+आ+गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) → अभ्यागत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यत्

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोधार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic/contrast particle)

• दूरात्: from far away
• दूरात्: Apadana (From afar/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (ablatival adverbial use)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Avyaya (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Inquirer/assembly of sages or tīrtha-adhikārins (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council scene shifts to a symbolic vision: a dark cloud of mahāpātaka (brahmahatyā) hovering over the assembled brāhmaṇas as they refuse; the distant traveler stands dusty and exhausted, emphasizing ‘dūrād api’.

Characters & Entities

• Brahma-hatyā (as a sin-category)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

To deny rightful dharmic aid to a seeker—especially one who has come from afar—invites severe spiritual fault; compassion and duty protect society.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it strengthens the moral gravity within the ongoing tīrtha-śuddhi discussion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A strong warning supporting the prescription to grant śuddhi: refusal can incur a grave sin likened to brahma-hatyā in consequence.