Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

उग्रास्य शिशुहंतारममुं विश्रंभघातिनम् । कृतघ्नं नय वेगेन महारौरव रौरवम्

Transliteration

ugrāsya śiśuhaṃtāramamuṃ viśraṃbhaghātinam | kṛtaghnaṃ naya vegena mahāraurava rauravam

Translation

O fierce-faced one, take swiftly this killer of children, this betrayer who murders one who trusts him, this ungrateful man—take him to Raurava and to Mahāraurava.

Word by Word

• ugrāsya: O fierce-faced one
• ugrāsya: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ugra (प्रातिपदिक) + āsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; उग्रम् आस्यम् यस्य सः (name/epithet used in address)

• śiśu-hantāram: the killer of children
• śiśu-hantāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiśu (प्रातिपदिक) + han (धातु) → hantṛ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; शिशून् हन्ति इति (child-killer)

• amum: that one
• amum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• viśrambha-ghātinam: a treacherous killer
• viśrambha-ghātinam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśrambha (प्रातिपदिक) + ghātin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विश्रंभेण घातयति इति (one who kills by betrayal/trust)

• kṛtaghnam: an ingrate
• kṛtaghnam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + ghna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कृतं (उपकारं) हन्ति इति (ingrate)

• naya: lead (take)
• naya: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nī (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; √नी = to lead

• vegena: swiftly/with speed
• vegena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrumental)

• mahārauravam: to Mahāraurava (hell)
• mahārauravam: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्-प्रातिपदिक) + raurava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; नरकविशेष (Mahāraurava)

• rauravam: to Raurava (hell)
• rauravam: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raurava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; नरकविशेष (Raurava)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A fierce-faced attendant (ugrāsya) addressed; Andhaka as overarching addressee in the sequence

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fierce-faced executioner-messenger (Yama-dūta) seizes a trembling sinner marked by symbols of betrayal and child-harm; two hell-realms appear as twin fiery chasms labeled Raurava and Mahāraurava, with serpents and burning ground.

Characters & Entities

• Raurava
• Mahāraurava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Violence against the innocent, betrayal of trust, and ingratitude are shown as deeply destructive sins with severe consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching context, though the verse focuses on moral consequence rather than a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an ethical warning via naraka assignment.