Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

न माता न पिता बन्धुः पतनं नरकार्णवे । उद्धरन्ति यथा पुण्यं शुक्लतीर्थे नरेश्वर

Transliteration

na mātā na pitā bandhuḥ patanaṃ narakārṇave | uddharanti yathā puṇyaṃ śuklatīrthe nareśvara

Translation

يا سيد الناس، لا أمّ ولا أب ولا قريب يستطيع إنقاذ من يغرق في محيط الجحيم؛ إنما يرفعه وحده الثواب المكتسب في شوكلا تيرثا.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• माता: mother
• माता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: nor
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• पिता: father
• पिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बन्धुः: relative, kinsman
• बन्धुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पतनम्: falling down, downfall
• पतनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• नरकार्णवे: in the ocean of hell
• नरकार्णवे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नरकस्य अर्णवः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• उद्धरन्ति: they lift out, rescue
• उद्धरन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-हृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: उद्-

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; यथार्थे/तुलनार्थे (as, in the manner that)

• पुण्यम्: merit, holy power
• पुण्यम्: Karta (Agent-like abstract/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र कर्तृ-रूपेण (as the rescuing merit)

• शुक्लतीर्थे: at Śukla-tīrtha
• शुक्लतीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्लतीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नरेश्वर: O lord of men (king)
• नरेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (नराणाम् ईश्वरः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śuklatīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nareśvara / lord of men (royal addressee)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dramatic allegory: a man sinking in a dark ocean labeled ‘naraka’, reaching upward; above, a radiant riverbank of Śuklatīrtha shines, and a rope of light marked ‘puṇya’ pulls him up while family figures stand helpless on the shore.

Characters & Entities

• Śuklatīrtha
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly relationships cannot substitute for dharma; sacred merit and right action are portrayed as the true rescuer.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śuklatīrtha (Revā/Narmadā region) is extolled as uniquely salvific.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No single rite is specified here; the verse emphasizes the general rescuing power of puṇya earned at Śuklatīrtha.