Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

अथ तं नरके घोरे पतितं शिवकिंकराः । निन्युर्विमानमारोप्य प्रसह्य यमकिंकरान्

Transliteration

atha taṃ narake ghore patitaṃ śivakiṃkarāḥ | ninyurvimānamāropya prasahya yamakiṃkarān

Translation

Alors, lorsqu’il fut tombé dans un enfer effroyable, les serviteurs de Śiva le hissèrent sur un char céleste et l’emmenèrent, terrassant de force les serviteurs de Yama.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (conjunctive particle: then)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• नरके: in hell
• नरके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• घोरे: terrible
• घोरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; 'नरके' इति विशेषणम्

• पतितम्: fallen (into)
• पतितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) 'पतित'; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'तम्' इति विशेषणम्

• शिवकिंकराः: Śiva's attendants
• शिवकिंकराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + किंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य किंकराः)

• निन्युः: led; carried away
• निन्युः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• विमानम्: a celestial chariot
• विमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आरोप्य: having mounted; having placed (him) on
• आरोप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• प्रसह्य: forcibly
• प्रसह्य: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + सह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); बलपूर्वकत्वे (with force)

• यमकिंकरान्: Yama's attendants
• यमकिंकरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक) + किंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (यमस्य किंकरान्)

Speaker

Vāmadeva

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A terrifying hellscape where the sinner falls; suddenly radiant Śiva-gaṇas descend, place him on a shining vimāna, and drive away Yama’s attendants in a forceful confrontation.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Yama
• Śivadūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s grace can override even hellish fate when a purifying Śaiva connection (here, bhasma-contact) exists.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse glorifies Śiva’s salvific agency through His attendants.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the narrative emphasizes divine intervention rather than a performed rite.