Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

अत्रोपायं करिष्यामि पापयोर्ध्रुवमेतयोः । मर्तुं वा जीवितुं वापि न क्षमौ पापभोगिनौ

Transliteration

atropāyaṃ kariṣyāmi pāpayordhruvametayoḥ | martuṃ vā jīvituṃ vāpi na kṣamau pāpabhoginau

Translation

„Hier werde ich gewiss ein Mittel ersinnen gegen diese beiden Sünder. Weder zum Sterben noch zum Leben taugen sie, denn sie erleiden die Frucht der Sünde.“

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• उपायम्: a means, remedy
• उपायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• करिष्यामि: I will do/make
• करिष्यामि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• पापयोः: of the two sinners / of the two evil ones
• पापयोः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन

• ध्रुवम्: certainly, surely
• ध्रुवम्: Visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• एतयोः: of these two
• एतयोः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• मर्तुम्: to die
• मर्तुम्: Karma (Complement of ability/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), अव्ययवत्; विकल्पार्थे (as option)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• जीवितुम्: to live
• जीवितुम्: Karma (Complement of ability/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), अव्ययवत्; विकल्पार्थे

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Visheshana (Particle modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (also/even)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• क्षमौ: able, capable
• क्षमौ: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (of pāpabhoginau)

• पापभोगिनौ: the two experiencers of sin (suffering for sin)
• पापभोगिनौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + भोगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पापस्य भोगी)

Speaker

A king (bhūmipāla) speaking (exact name not in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, troubled yet resolute, speaks to himself or ministers, planning a ‘remedy’ for the sinners; the afflicted sons remain nearby, embodying karmic burden.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Karma is inescapable: those bound to pāpa-bhoga suffer its results until exhausted, creating hard moral dilemmas for others.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse; it focuses on karmic consequence and decision-making.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse speaks of finding an ‘upāya’ (means), not a specified rite.