Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

कन्दमूलाशनकरः पूर्वजान्सह चात्मना । उद्धृत्य नरकाद्घोराद्याति विष्णुसलोकताम्

Transliteration

kandamūlāśanakaraḥ pūrvajānsaha cātmanā | uddhṛtya narakādghorādyāti viṣṇusalokatām

Translation

Wer von Wurzeln und Früchten lebt, erhebt zusammen mit sich auch seine Vorfahren; indem er sie aus der schrecklichen Hölle erlöst, gelangt er in die Welt Viṣṇus.

Word by Word

• कन्दमूलाशनकरः: one who eats roots and tubers
• कन्दमूलाशनकरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + अशन्/अशन (अश्-धातु/प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कन्दमूलयोः अशनं करोति इति)

• पूर्वजान्: forefathers/ancestors
• पूर्वजान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पूर्वे जाताः)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (Accompaniment)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सह-योगे; ‘with’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय-bodhaka)

• आत्मना: with himself
• आत्मना: Sahakari/Instrument (with oneself)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• उद्धृत्य: having lifted out / rescued
• उद्धृत्य: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद्+हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• नरकात्: from hell
• नरकात्: Apadana (Source/Separation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन

• घोरात्: terrible
• घोरात्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (नरकात्)

• याति: goes, attains
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विष्णुसलोकताम्: the state of being in Vishnu’s world
• विष्णुसलोकताम्: Gati/Karma (Goal as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + सलोकता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विष्णोः सलोकता)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa māhātmya-style instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee subsists on fruits and roots, performing Viṣṇu worship; behind, shadowy forms of ancestors rise from a fiery hellscape toward light, symbolizing rescue and ascent to Viṣṇu’s world.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Ancestors (Pūrvaja)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Personal austerity, when sincerely practiced, is said to generate merit strong enough to uplift one’s ancestors and oneself toward Viṣṇu’s realm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse highlights the salvific power of Cāturmāsya-style dietary austerity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Kandamūlāśana: subsisting on roots/tubers (simple fare) as a vrata discipline.