Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

विध्वंसयेच्च यज्ञादीन्होमद्रव्याणि भक्षयेत् । वेदिका दीर्घिका दृष्ट्वा कश्मलेन प्रदूषयेत्

Transliteration

vidhvaṃsayecca yajñādīnhomadravyāṇi bhakṣayet | vedikā dīrghikā dṛṣṭvā kaśmalena pradūṣayet

Translation

وہ یَجْیَہ وغیرہ کو بھی برباد کرتا، ہوم کے لیے مقررہ نذرانوں کو کھا جاتا؛ اور ویدیاں اور مقدس حوض دیکھ کر انہیں ناپاکی سے آلودہ کر دیتا۔

Word by Word

• विध्वंसयेत्: would destroy
• विध्वंसयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ध्वंसय् (धातु; ध्वंस्-णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• यज्ञादीन्: sacrifices and the like
• यज्ञादीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ प्रत्ययार्थक-समासान्त (yajñas and the like)

• होमद्रव्याणि: materials for oblations
• होमद्रव्याणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (होमस्य द्रव्याणि)

• भक्षयेत्: would eat/devour
• भक्षयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• वेदिकाम्: altar
• वेदिकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दीर्घिकाम्: tank/pond
• दीर्घिकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीर्घिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Adverbial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• कश्मलेन: with impurity/defilement
• कश्मलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• प्रदूषयेत्: would defile
• प्रदूषयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दूष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dīrghikā (sacred tank) within Dharmāraṇyaka (implied)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Lohāsura wrecks yajña arrangements, consumes offerings, and defiles altars and sacred tanks with impurity; priests and devotees look on in horror as smoke and scattered implements fill the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Lohāsura
• Yajña
• Homa
• Vedikā
• Dīrghikā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desecration of sacred rites and spaces is a mark of adharma; purity of worship and tīrthas must be protected.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Sacred tanks (dīrghikās) and altars are referenced generally within Dharmāraṇya; no single named tirtha appears in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Indirectly, it underscores the inviolability of yajña/homa materials and the requirement to keep altars and sacred waters free from defilement.