Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

न ब्राह्मणवधाद्बाह्यं कुष्ठव्याधिः प्रजायते । एतत्सत्यं विजानीहि वदतो मम भूपते

Transliteration

na brāhmaṇavadhādbāhyaṃ kuṣṭhavyādhiḥ prajāyate | etatsatyaṃ vijānīhi vadato mama bhūpate

Translation

برہمن کے قتل کے سوا کسی اور سبب سے کوڑھ کی بیماری پیدا نہیں ہوتی۔ اے بادشاہ، میرے کلام سے اسے سچ جان لو۔

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध) — ‘न’ (not)

• ब्राह्मणवधात्: from brahmin-slaying
• ब्राह्मणवधात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन — षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्राह्मणस्य वधः) ‘ब्राह्मणवधात्’ (from brahmin-slaying)

• बाह्यम्: other than
• बाह्यम्: Karma (Complement/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — ‘बाह्यम्’ (external/other than)

• कुष्ठव्याधिः: leprosy
• कुष्ठव्याधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + व्याधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — कर्मधारयः (कुष्ठरूपो व्याधिः) ‘कुष्ठव्याधिः’ (leprosy-disease)

• प्रजायते: arises
• प्रजायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-जा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘प्रजायते’ (arises/is born)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — ‘एतत्’ (this)

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — ‘सत्यम्’ (truth) (apposition to ‘एतत्’)

• विजानीहि: know
• विजानीहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘विजानीहि’ (know/understand)

• वदतः: of (me) speaking
• वदतः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन — ‘वदतः’ (of me speaking/of the speaker)

• मम: of me
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन — ‘मम’ (my/of me)

• भूपते: O king
• भूपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — तत्पुरुषः (भूः पतिः) ‘भूपते’ (O king)

Speaker

Narrative voice addressing a king (listener addressed as bhūpati; exact speaker not explicit here)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: bhūpate (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stern yet compassionate instructor addresses the king: ‘Know this as truth—leprosy arises from brahmahatyā alone,’ underscoring dharma’s certainty.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa-hatyā
• Bhūpati (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text underscores the extreme gravity of brāhmaṇa-hatyā and warns rulers to uphold dharma and protect the sacred order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of the Hāṭakeśvara/Jāhnavī tīrtha narrative, framing why purification at the tīrtha is sought.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it provides doctrinal emphasis that motivates subsequent purification through sacred bathing and rites.