Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

अथाहं किंकरैर्याम्यैर्नीतो वैवस्वतालयम् । ततोऽहं नरके घोरे तत्कुण्डे विनिपातितः

Transliteration

athāhaṃ kiṃkarairyāmyairnīto vaivasvatālayam | tato'haṃ narake ghore tatkuṇḍe vinipātitaḥ

Translation

Dann wurde ich von Yamas Dienern in das Reich Vaivasvatas gebracht; danach wurde ich in eine schreckliche Hölle geworfen, in jene Grube.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अनन्तरार्थक) = indeclinable (“then/thereupon”)

• अहम्: me
• अहम्: Karma (Patient/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन = nominative singular (“I”)

• किंकरैः: by attendants
• किंकरैः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन = instrumental plural (“by servants”)

• याम्यैः: of Yama
• याम्यैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन = instrumental plural; विशेषण of किंकरैः (“of Yama”)

• नीतः: led
• नीतः: Kriya (Result state/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नीत (कृदन्त, √नी ‘to lead’ → नीत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन = masculine nominative singular; कृदन्त (क्त), कर्मणि-भाव (“having been led”)

• वैवस्वतालयम्: to the abode of Yama
• वैवस्वतालयम्: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैवस्वत (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन = accusative singular; समासः: वैवस्वत-आलय (तत्पुरुष, “abode of Vaivasvata/Yama”)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (तस्मात्/अनन्तरम्) = indeclinable (“then/from there”)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन = nominative singular (“I”)

• नरके: in hell
• नरके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन = locative singular (“in hell”)

• घोरे: terrible
• घोरे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन = locative singular; विशेषण of नरके

• तत्कुण्डे: in that pit
• तत्कुण्डे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन = locative singular; समासः: तत्-कुण्ड (तत्पुरुष, “in that pit/pond”)

• विनिपातितः: thrown down
• विनिपातितः: Kriya (Result state/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-नि- (उपसर्गौ) + पातित (कृदन्त, √पत् ‘to fall’/caus. √पत् → पातयति; past passive participle पातित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन = masculine nominative singular; कृदन्त (क्त), कर्मणि (“thrown down”)

Speaker

Unknown (a male narrator recounting post-death punishment; not identifiable from snippet alone)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vaivasvata-ālaya (Yama-loka)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yamadūtas—dark, stern figures—drag the subtle body with ropes toward a fortified, shadowy city (Yama’s abode); beyond lies a gaping pit of hell.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Vaivasvata
• Yamadūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Actions follow the soul beyond death; adharma leads to Yama’s judgment and hellish suffering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No earthly tīrtha is mentioned; the verse describes the post-mortem realm of Yama.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.