Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

मया तु सीताहरणे निहता ब्रह्मराक्षसाः । तत्पापस्य विशुदयर्थं वद तीर्थोत्तमोत्तमम्

Transliteration

mayā tu sītāharaṇe nihatā brahmarākṣasāḥ | tatpāpasya viśudayarthaṃ vada tīrthottamottamam

Translation

然而在悉多被掳之时，我诛杀了婆罗门罗刹（Brahma-rākṣasa）。为净除此罪，请告诉我最殊胜、最上妙的圣地渡口（tīrtha）。

Word by Word

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• सीताहरणे: in the abduction of Sītā
• सीताहरणे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता-हरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• निहताः: were slain
• निहताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + हन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom.), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ब्रह्मराक्षसाः: brahma-rākṣasas (a class of demons)
• ब्रह्मराक्षसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म-राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-सम्बन्धे (as first member in compound)

• पापस्य: of the sin
• पापस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• विशुद्धि-अर्थम्: for purification
• विशुद्धि-अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); प्रयोजनार्थक (purpose)

• वद: tell
• वद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• तीर्थोत्तमोत्तमम्: the best of the best pilgrimage place
• तीर्थोत्तमोत्तमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ-उत्तम-उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); अतिशयार्थक (superlative emphasis)

Speaker

Śrī Rāma

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vasiṣṭha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma speaks with gravity, recalling the slaying of brahma-rākṣasas; his posture shows contrition and resolve to undertake purification.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Rāma
• Sītā
• Brahmarākṣasa
• Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even righteous heroes uphold dharma by seeking expiation (prāyaścitta) and purification through sacred means.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse requests the supreme tīrtha; the answer unfolds in the following verses with the praise of rivers like Narmadā and Gaṅgā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The intent is prāyaścitta via a supreme tīrtha; specific acts (darśana, snāna, tarpaṇa, piṇḍadāna) appear later in the passage.