Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

येन मे जायते मोक्षः प्रेतभावात्सुदारुणात्

Transliteration

yena me jāyate mokṣaḥ pretabhāvātsudāruṇāt

Translation

So that liberation may arise for me—from this most dreadful state of being a preta.

Word by Word

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; साधन/हेतु-निर्देश

• मे: for me; my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• जायते: arises; is born
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; भावे/कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (intransitive: 'arises')

• मोक्षः: liberation
• मोक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• प्रेतभावात्: from the state of being a preta (ghost)
• प्रेतभावात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेतभाव (प्रातिपदिक: प्रेत + भाव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रेतस्य भावः)

• सुदारुणात्: from (that) very dreadful
• सुदारुणात्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुदारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying प्रेतभावात्)

Speaker

Preta (a departed spirit)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tormented preta-state is described as ‘most dreadful’; the plea focuses on liberation arising through the requested rite.

Characters & Entities

• Mokṣa
• Preta-bhāva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even severe post-death afflictions are portrayed as remediable through mokṣa-oriented dharma supported by tīrtha power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Implied: the same Hāṭakeśvara confluence tīrtha whose water is sought for the act leading to liberation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It reiterates the purpose of the previously stated immersion rite: liberation from the preta condition.