Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

पतनोत्पतनं चैव गदादण्डनिपीडनम् । गजदन्तैश्च हननं नानाभुजगदंशनम्

Transliteration

patanotpatanaṃ caiva gadādaṇḍanipīḍanam | gajadantaiśca hananaṃ nānābhujagadaṃśanam

Translation

Ferner gibt es Qualen: zu Boden gestürzt und wieder emporgeworfen zu werden, von Streitkolben und Stäben zerquetscht zu werden, von Elefantenstoßzähnen geschlagen zu werden und von mancherlei Schlangen gebissen zu werden.

Word by Word

• पतनोत्पतनम्: falling and leaping up
• पतनोत्पतनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतन (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्पतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (पतनं च उत्पतनं च)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), अवधारणार्थक

• गदादण्डनिपीडनम्: crushing with mace and staff
• गदादण्डनिपीडनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक) + दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + निपीडन (प्रातिपदिक; नि + √पीड् (धातु) से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः द्वन्द्व-तत्पुरुषसमुच्चयः (गदया दण्डेन च निपीडनम्)

• गजदन्तैः: with elephant tusks
• गजदन्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + दन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गजस्य दन्ताः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• हननम्: killing; striking down
• हननम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हनन (प्रातिपदिक; √हन् (धातु) से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नाना: various
• नाना: Sambandha (Qualifier/विशेषणार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adjective/adverb), विविधार्थक (various)

• भुजगदंशनम्: biting by snakes
• भुजगदंशनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुजग (प्रातिपदिक) + दंशन (प्रातिपदिक; √दंश् (धातु) से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भुजगस्य दंशनम्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual attribution)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Infernal arena: souls are tossed down and flung upward, crushed by maces and staffs, gored by elephant tusks, and attacked by serpents; the scene is presented as the fate avoided by the faithful Setu pilgrim.

Characters & Entities

• Naraka
• Bhujaga (serpents)
• Gaja (elephant)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Graphic naraka imagery underscores the protective, purifying promise of Setu Māhātmya by contrast with karmic punishment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu/Setubandha is the praised tirtha in the surrounding passage, though this verse lists torments rather than naming the site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new rite is stated here; it continues the theme that Setu-snāna/darśana prevents such outcomes.