Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

सकलं रौरवे रौद्रे पतितस्य सुदुर्मते । वयं त्वा ब्राह्मणं मत्वा ब्रूम एतदसंशयम्

Transliteration

sakalaṃ raurave raudre patitasya sudurmate | vayaṃ tvā brāhmaṇaṃ matvā brūma etadasaṃśayam

Translation

«مَن سقط في رَورَفَة الرهيبة (الجحيم)، يا سيّئ النيّة، فالعذاب عليه كاملٌ شامل. ومع ذلك، إذ نعدّك برهمنًا، نقول لك هذا بلا ريب.»

Word by Word

• सकलम्: entire/whole
• सकलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• रौरवे: in Raurava (hell)
• रौरवे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; नरक-नाम

• रौद्रे: in Raudra (hell)
• रौद्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; नरक-नाम

• पतितस्य: of the fallen one
• पतितस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; पत् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त ‘fallen’

• सुदुर्मते: O very wicked-minded one
• सुदुर्मते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दुर्मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सु+दुर्मति = very evil-minded)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• त्वा: you
• त्वा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (enclitic form)

• ब्राह्मणम्: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मप्रत्यय/सम्बोधनार्थे न

• मत्वा: having considered
• मत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु) → मत्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund): having thought/considered

• ब्रूमः: we say
• ब्रूमः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• असंशयम्: without doubt
• असंशयम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अ (नञ्) + संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण (without doubt)

Speaker

Ṛṣis (Sages)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: sudurmatiḥ (evil-minded man), addressed as brāhmaṇa by courtesy/ethical ideal

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages speak of Raurava; behind them, a faint visionary backdrop suggests a terrifying hellscape—flames, serpents, cries—while the sages remain composed, offering a lifeline.

Characters & Entities

• Raurava (Naraka)
• Ṛṣis
• Brāhmaṇa (as social-religious identity)
• Caurā (thief)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Actions have grave consequences; the sages warn of hellish outcomes while still extending guidance grounded in dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports the moral framework within a tīrtha-māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is stated; the focus is on karmic consequence (naraka) and ethical correction.