Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

ये गता नरकं घोरं ये च प्रेतत्वमागताः । पूर्वकर्मविपाकेन स्थावरत्वं गताश्च ये

Transliteration

ye gatā narakaṃ ghoraṃ ye ca pretatvamāgatāḥ | pūrvakarmavipākena sthāvaratvaṃ gatāśca ye

Translation

Jene, die in die schreckliche Hölle gegangen sind; jene, die zu Pretas (ruhelosen Geistern) wurden; und jene, die — durch das Reifen früheren Karmas — in ein unbewegliches Dasein (wie Pflanzen und dergleichen) gefallen sind …

Word by Word

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-सर्वनाम

• गताः: gone; who have gone
• गताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (क्त-प्रत्यय, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकर्तरि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ये इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

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

• घोरम्: terrible
• घोरम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नरकम् इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

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

• प्रेतत्वम्: the state of being a preta (ghost)
• प्रेतत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेतत्व (प्रातिपदिक; प्रेत + त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आगताः: having come to; having attained
• आगताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु) → आगत (क्त-प्रत्यय, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ये इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

• पूर्व-कर्म-विपाकेन: by the fruition of former karma
• पूर्व-कर्म-विपाकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + विपाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (पूर्वस्य कर्मणः विपाकः)

• स्थावरत्वम्: the state of being immobile (plant/immovable)
• स्थावरत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थावरत्व (प्रातिपदिक; स्थावर + त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• गताः: gone; who have become
• गताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (क्त-प्रत्यय, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

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

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gomatī (Dvārakā)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Implied audience of brāhmaṇas/pilgrims; immediate addressee appears as brāhmaṇa-śreṣṭha in nearby verses

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A liminal vision: souls emerging from dark naraka, wandering pretas near cremation grounds, and silent trees/vines symbolizing sthāvara-bhāva—while the bright, sanctifying flow of Gomati appears as a rescuing presence near Dvārakā’s sacred shore.

Characters & Entities

• Naraka
• Preta
• Karma-vipāka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic vision stresses karma’s consequences, while preparing to proclaim the rescuing power of tīrtha-merit for even the most afflicted states.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding passage is within Dvārakā Māhātmya and the Gomatī tīrtha context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

This verse sets up categories of suffering beings; the ritual remedy is implied from the preceding verses: offerings, śrāddha, and Gomatī-related dāna/tarpana.