Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

मुच्यतेऽसौ न संदेहो यद्यपि ब्रह्मघातकः । गारुडेन विमानेन वैकुंठं पदमाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

mucyate'sau na saṃdeho yadyapi brahmaghātakaḥ | gāruḍena vimānena vaikuṃṭhaṃ padamāpnuyāt

Translation

—siya’y napapalaya, walang pag-aalinlangan, kahit pa siya’y pumatay ng isang brāhmaṇa. Sakay ng panghimpapawid na sasakyang Garuḍa (vimāna), mararating niya ang tahanan ng Vaikuṇṭha.

Word by Word

• मुच्यते: is freed
• मुच्यते: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/मध्यवाच्यप्रयोगः (is released)

• असौ: that person/he
• असौ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation)

• संदेहः: doubt
• संदेहः: Karta (Impersonal subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संदेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• यद्यपि: even if
• यद्यपि: Discourse connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय) + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययसमूह, अव्यय; concessive (even if/although)

• ब्रह्मघातकः: a slayer of a brāhmaṇa
• ब्रह्मघातकः: Karta (Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + घातक (प्रातिपदिक; √हन्-ण्वुल्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणः घातकः)

• गारुडेन: Garuda-related
• गारुडेन: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गारुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (विमानेन)

• विमानेन: by an aerial car
• विमानेन: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• वैकुंठम्: Vaikuṇṭha
• वैकुंठम्: Karma (Goal/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैकुण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• पदम्: abode/state
• पदम्: Karma (Goal/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• आप्नुयात्: should attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप्/आप्नु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vaikuṇṭha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha (Arjuna)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A liberated devotee rises skyward in a radiant Garuḍa-shaped vimāna, escorted by divine attendants, leaving behind the shadow of sin; Vaikuṇṭha’s golden gates appear in the distance.

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Vaikuṇṭha
• brahmaghātaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa magnifies the redemptive power of sincere devotion and observance, declaring it capable of overcoming even grave sins.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vaikuṇṭha is named as the divine destination; no earthly tīrtha is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse states the result (mokṣa/Vaikuṇṭha) of the preceding vrata and worship practices.