Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

यमोऽहं सर्वभूतानां दुष्टानां कर्मकारिणाम् । धर्म रूपो हि सर्वेषां मनुजानां जितात्मनाम्

Transliteration

yamo'haṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ duṣṭānāṃ karmakāriṇām | dharma rūpo hi sarveṣāṃ manujānāṃ jitātmanām

Translation

“I am Yama for all beings—for the wicked who perform sinful deeds. Yet for all men who are self-controlled, I am truly the very form of Dharma.”

Word by Word

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सर्वभूतानाम्: of all beings
• सर्वभूतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (सर्वाणि भूतानि)

• दुष्टानाम्: of the wicked
• दुष्टानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (कृदन्त; √दुष्/दुष्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (सर्वभूतानाम्)

• कर्मकारिणाम्: of those who do (evil) deeds
• कर्मकारिणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (कर्म कुर्वन्ति इति)

• धर्मः: Dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद/वाक्यांश)

• रूपः: form/nature
• रूपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (धर्मरूपः इति विशेषणार्थे)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis/assurance)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• मनुजानाम्: of humans
• मनुजानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• जितात्मनाम्: of the self-controlled
• जितात्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (जितः आत्मा येषाम्) विशेषणम् (मनुजानाम्)

Speaker

Yama

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Varddhanī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yama declares his dual aspect: terrifying judge for sinners, embodiment of Dharma for the self-mastered; the imagery contrasts shadowy punitive aura with luminous dharmic radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine justice is twofold: it restrains wrongdoing, yet it supports and protects those who have conquered the self through Dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is explicitly praised; the verse offers theological clarification within the Dharmāraṇya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is stated; the implied discipline is jitātmatā—self-mastery aligned with Dharma.