Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

न माता न पिता बन्धुः पतनं नरकार्णवे । उद्धरन्ति यथा पुण्यं शुक्लतीर्थे नरेश्वर

Transliteration

na mātā na pitā bandhuḥ patanaṃ narakārṇave | uddharanti yathā puṇyaṃ śuklatīrthe nareśvara

Translation

Ô seigneur des hommes, ni mère, ni père, ni aucun parent ne peut sauver celui qui sombre dans l’océan de l’enfer ; seul le mérite acquis à Śukla-tīrtha peut ainsi le relever.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• माता: mother
• माता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: nor
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• पिता: father
• पिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बन्धुः: relative, kinsman
• बन्धुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पतनम्: falling down, downfall
• पतनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• नरकार्णवे: in the ocean of hell
• नरकार्णवे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नरकस्य अर्णवः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• उद्धरन्ति: they lift out, rescue
• उद्धरन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-हृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: उद्-

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; यथार्थे/तुलनार्थे (as, in the manner that)

• पुण्यम्: merit, holy power
• पुण्यम्: Karta (Agent-like abstract/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र कर्तृ-रूपेण (as the rescuing merit)

• शुक्लतीर्थे: at Śukla-tīrtha
• शुक्लतीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्लतीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नरेश्वर: O lord of men (king)
• नरेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (नराणाम् ईश्वरः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śuklatīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nareśvara / lord of men (royal addressee)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dramatic allegory: a man sinking in a dark ocean labeled ‘naraka’, reaching upward; above, a radiant riverbank of Śuklatīrtha shines, and a rope of light marked ‘puṇya’ pulls him up while family figures stand helpless on the shore.

Characters & Entities

• Śuklatīrtha
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly relationships cannot substitute for dharma; sacred merit and right action are portrayed as the true rescuer.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śuklatīrtha (Revā/Narmadā region) is extolled as uniquely salvific.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No single rite is specified here; the verse emphasizes the general rescuing power of puṇya earned at Śuklatīrtha.