Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

उद्बंधन मृता ये च पतिता आत्मघातकाः । आत्मविक्रयिणश्चोरा ये तथाऽयाज्ययाजकाः

Transliteration

udbaṃdhana mṛtā ye ca patitā ātmaghātakāḥ | ātmavikrayiṇaścorā ye tathā'yājyayājakāḥ

Translation

Those who died by hanging, the fallen, and those who took their own lives; those who sold themselves, thieves, and those who officiated in forbidden sacrifices—all these too are included.

Word by Word

• उद्बन्धन: by hanging (strangulation)
• उद्बन्धन: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद् + बन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; साधन/कारणवाचक (hanging/strangulation)

• मृताः: dead
• मृताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

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

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

• पतिताः: the fallen (outcast)
• पतिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संज्ञावत् (fallen/degenerate persons)

• आत्मघातकाः: suicides
• आत्मघातकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् + घातक (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आत्मनः घातकाः = self-killers)

• आत्मविक्रयिणः: self-sellers (those who sell themselves)
• आत्मविक्रयिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् + विक्रयिन् (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आत्मनः विक्रयिणः = those who sell themselves)

• चोराः: thieves
• चोराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

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

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय

• अयाज्ययाजकाः: priests who perform rites for the unworthy
• अयाज्ययाजकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + याज्य + याजक (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (अयाज्यं याजयन्ति ये = those who officiate sacrifices for the unfit)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-Gaṅgā (śānti for patita/akāla-mṛta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ritual inquirer/pilgrim audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the ghāṭa, the performer offers tarpaṇa for troubled souls—those who died by hanging or suicide and other ‘fallen’—shown as shadowed figures gradually turning luminous as Gaṅgā’s light touches them.

Characters & Entities

• Yama (contextual, later verses)
• Pitṛs (contextual)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī–Gaṅgā’s grace and the duty of remembrance extend even to socially/religiously marginalized dead; dharma aims at upliftment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā in Kāśī, in the context of pitṛkarman performed at this tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer tarpaṇa even for those considered “patita” or who died by hanging or self-harm, and other condemned categories.