Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 75

Devanagari script

महापातकयुक्तोऽपि पुरुषो येन कर्मणा । अनुष्ठितेन नो याति नरकं क्लेशकारकम्

Transliteration

mahāpātakayukto'pi puruṣo yena karmaṇā | anuṣṭhitena no yāti narakaṃ kleśakārakam

Translation

Selbst ein Mensch, der mit den schwersten Sünden beladen ist, geht, wenn er jene vorgeschriebene Handlung vollzieht, nicht in die leidbringende Hölle.

Word by Word

• महापातकयुक्तः: endowed with great sins
• महापातकयुक्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महापातक (प्रातिपदिक; महा+पातक) + युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √युज् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महापातकेन युक्तः)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक निपात (particle: even/also)

• पुरुषः: a man
• पुरुषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• कर्मणा: by (a) rite/action
• कर्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• अनुष्ठितेन: performed
• अनुष्ठितेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु-√स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle: ‘performed’)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक निपात (negation particle)

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• नरकम्: to hell
• नरकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• क्लेशकारकम्: causing suffering
• क्लेशकारकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्लेश (प्रातिपदिक) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्लेशस्य कारकम्)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice; likely Sūta within Nāgarakhaṇḍa narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvijottama (unnamed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: Yama gestures toward a symbolic ‘path to hell’ being closed by the performance of a sacred act; the sinner is shown transformed into a calm devotee.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sincere performance of the prescribed dhārmic rite has the power to neutralize even grave sin and avert hellish suffering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces the promise of a specific tīrtha/rite whose details are clarified in the surrounding Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It refers generally to an “anuṣṭhāna” (duly performed observance/rite), with the exact practice specified in adjacent verses of the chapter.