Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

निषिद्धाचरणं तस्मात्कथयिष्ये तवाग्रतः । तद्दूरतः परित्यज्य नरो न निरयी भवेत्

Transliteration

niṣiddhācaraṇaṃ tasmātkathayiṣye tavāgrataḥ | taddūrataḥ parityajya naro na nirayī bhavet

Translation

Darum werde ich dir die verbotenen Handlungen vortragen. Wer sie gänzlich von sich weist, wird nicht zur Hölle bestimmt.

Word by Word

• निषिद्धाचरणम्: forbidden conduct
• निषिद्धाचरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निषिद्ध (कृदन्त, नि+षिध्) + आचरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (निषिद्धस्य आचरणम्)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादानार्थे (ablatival adverb) = ‘therefore/from that reason’

• कथयिष्ये: I will tell
• कथयिष्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु; causative of कथ्)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद-रूपार्थे प्रयोगः (अत्र आत्मनेपद-रूपम्)

• तव: to you/your
• तव: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अग्रतः: in your presence
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (adverb) = ‘in front/presence’

• तत्: that (conduct)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दूरतः: from far away
• दूरतः: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) = ‘from afar/at a distance’

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि+त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) = ‘having abandoned’

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निषेध-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• निरयी: hell-bound
• निरयी: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरयिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (नरस्य)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A questioning devotee/pilgrim (generic adhikārin)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher-narrator in Kāśī instructs a listener, listing prohibited acts; behind them are ghāṭas of Gaṅgā and the silhouette of Viśvanātha’s shrine, evoking discipline before sacred entry.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (implied)
• Niraya (hell)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Renouncing prohibited actions is presented as a direct safeguard against falling into a hellish destiny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, where disciplined living supports liberation-oriented dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A general niyama is given: fully abandon forbidden practices; specific food rules follow in subsequent verses.