Shloka 32

कुमाराभिषेकप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Kumāra (Skanda) Investiture at Sarasvatī

Devanagari script

जनमेजय उवाच किमर्थ भगवान्‌ शक्रो ब्रह्मवध्यामवाप्तवान्‌

Transliteration

janamejaya uvāca kimarthaṁ bhagavān śakro brahmavadhyām avāptavān

Translation

阇那梅阇耶问道：“因何缘故，受人敬奉的释迦（Śakra，因陀罗）竟招致梵杀罪（brahmahatyā）？”

Word by Word

• जनमेजयः: Janamejaya
• जनमेजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनमेजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• किमर्थम्: for what reason? why?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् + अर्थ

• भगवान्: the blessed/lordly one
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शक्रः: Shakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रह्मवध्याम्: brahma-slaying sin (brahmahatyā)
• ब्रह्मवध्याम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मवध्या
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अवाप्तवान्: obtained/incurred
• Type: Verb
• Root: अवाप्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्तवतुँ (past active participle)

Speaker

जनमेजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Janamejaya
• Śakra (Indra)
• brahmahatyā (sin of brahma-slaughter)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the highest authority is accountable to dharma: actions that violate the sanctity of a brāhmaṇa (or the principle of brahmanical inviolability) generate grave moral culpability, prompting inquiry into cause, responsibility, and the need for expiation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Janamejaya, listening to the Mahābhārata account, asks why Indra—honored as Śakra—came to bear the stigma of brahmahatyā. The question sets up an explanation of the prior event that led to this guilt and its ethical implications.