Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

देवतिर्यङ्मनुष्याद्या निरयं यांति मानवाः । चंदनागरुकर्पूरप्रमुखा अतिशोभनाः

Transliteration

devatiryaṅmanuṣyādyā nirayaṃ yāṃti mānavāḥ | caṃdanāgarukarpūrapramukhā atiśobhanāḥ

Translation

Durch solche Verblendung gehen Menschen zur Hölle, ob sie nun Devas, Tiere oder Menschen nach Geburt und Stand seien. Sandelholz, Agaru, Kampfer und dergleichen mögen überaus duftend und lieblich sein, doch gehören sie weiterhin zum Bereich des Vergänglichen.

Word by Word

• देव-तिर्यङ्-मनुष्य-आद्याः: gods, animals, humans, etc.
• देव-तिर्यङ्-मनुष्य-आद्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + तिर्यङ् (प्रातिपदिक) + मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; समासः—देवाश्च तिर्यञ्चश्च मनुष्याश्च (dvandva) + आद्य (etc.)

• निरयम्: hell
• निरयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• यान्ति: go
• यान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• मानवाः: humans
• मानवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• चन्दन-अगरु-कर्पूर-प्रमुखाः: (things) like sandal, aloe-wood, camphor, etc.
• चन्दन-अगरु-कर्पूर-प्रमुखाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक) + अगरु (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्पूर (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; समासः—चन्दनं च अगरु च कर्पूरं च (dvandva) + प्रमुख (chief among)

• अतिशोभनाः: very beautiful
• अतिशोभनाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; 'अति' as intensifier

Speaker

Unspecified teacher (continuing admonition against delusion of sense-objects)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: kapi (vānara)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tray of sandalwood, agaru, and camphor emits fragrant smoke; behind it, a fading garland and ash symbolize perishability; the teacher warns the vānara about naraka born of delusion.

Characters & Entities

• Candana
• Agaru
• Karpūra
• Niraya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Attachment to alluring sense-objects leads to karmic decline; beauty and fragrance do not guarantee spiritual good.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu–Rāmeśvaram sacred setting of Setukhaṇḍa frames the warning: tīrtha merit is protected by detachment and right conduct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an ethical-philosophical caution against ensnarement in sensory allure.