Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

एष विंशतिमो नाम नरको द्विजसत्तम । असिपत्रवनाख्यश्च कष्टसेव्यो दुरात्मभिः

Transliteration

eṣa viṃśatimo nāma narako dvijasattama | asipatravanākhyaśca kaṣṭasevyo durātmabhiḥ

Translation

O Bester der Zweimalgeborenen, dies ist die zwanzigste Hölle, genannt „Asipatravana“ (Wald der Schwertblätter) — eine Qual, schwer zu ertragen, die nur die Bösherzigen erfahren.

Word by Word

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विंशतिमः: twentieth
• विंशतिमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विंशति (संख्याप्रातिपदिक) + म (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: 'by name/indeed')

• नरकः: hell
• नरकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्विजसत्तम: O best of brahmins
• द्विजसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• असिपत्रवनाख्यः: called Asipatravana (sword-leaf forest)
• असिपत्रवनाख्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असि (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वन (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (असिपत्रवनस्य आख्यः = called 'Asipatravana')

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

• कष्टसेव्यः: hard to endure / difficult to undergo
• कष्टसेव्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + सेव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयार्थ (कष्टेन सेव्यो = hard to endure/approach)

• दुरात्मभिः: by evil-souled (persons)
• दुरात्मभिः: Karana (Instrument/कर्ता-हेतुः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुरात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd case), बहुवचन

Speaker

Yama

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Asipatravana

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija (द्विजसत्तम)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dense forest where leaves are gleaming sword-blades; sinners run in panic, sliced by foliage; Yama’s attendants herd them along narrow paths that shimmer like steel.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Asipatravana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text warns that persistent wickedness ripens into severe suffering, urging repentance and dharmic conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is directly praised in this verse; it is part of a broader dharma-teaching within the Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None here; the verse names and characterizes a specific naraka.