Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

बीभत्सुरिति विख्यातः सप्तमो नरकाधमः । मूत्रामेध्य समाकीर्णः समंतादतिगर्हितः

Transliteration

bībhatsuriti vikhyātaḥ saptamo narakādhamaḥ | mūtrāmedhya samākīrṇaḥ samaṃtādatigarhitaḥ

Translation

সপ্তম, নরকদের মধ্যে অতি অধম, ‘বীভৎসু’ নামে খ্যাত; তা মূত্র ও মলিনতায় পরিপূর্ণ, চারদিকে চরম জঘন্য।

Word by Word

• बीभत्सुः: Bībhatsu (name) / the disgusting one
• बीभत्सुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीभत्सु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इति: thus, called
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Quotative particle)

• विख्यातः: is known, famed
• विख्यातः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √ख्या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'बीभत्सुः' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• सप्तमः: seventh
• सप्तमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषणम्

• नरकाधमः: the vilest hell
• नरकाधमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक) + अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'अधमो नरकः' इति कर्मधारय

• मूत्र-अमेध्य: with urine and filth
• मूत्र-अमेध्य: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अमेध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (urine and filth) — 'समाकीर्णः' इत्यस्य करण/साधन-भावे समासपदम्

• समाकीर्णः: filled, covered
• समाकीर्णः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + √कॄ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (filled, strewn)

• समन्तात्: on all sides
• समन्तात्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्तात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb: on all sides/from all around)

• अतिगर्हितः: utterly condemned
• अतिगर्हितः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग) + √गर्ह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (greatly condemned)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgara Khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic infernal pit labeled ‘Bībhatsu’: pools of urine and filth, oppressive atmosphere, sinners mired in sludge, attendants forcing them through the mire; the scene is designed to evoke total loathing.

Characters & Entities

• Bībhatsu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic cosmology uses stark imagery to underscore that adharma leads to degrading states, urging inner and outer purity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha appears in this verse; it is a descriptive segment of naraka realms.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the broader implication is śauca (purity) and dharmic conduct.