Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

तेषामुच्छेदकर्त्ता यः पुरुषोऽनंतपापकृत् । स तमस्यंधतामिस्रे नरके हि निमज्जति

Transliteration

teṣāmucchedakarttā yaḥ puruṣo'naṃtapāpakṛt | sa tamasyaṃdhatāmisre narake hi nimajjati

Translation

Celui qui retranche leur subsistance, cet homme commet un péché sans fin ; assurément il sombre dans l’enfer nommé Andhatāmisra, ténèbres sur ténèbres.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• उच्छेदकर्त्ता: the destroyer/terminator (of their tradition)
• उच्छेदकर्त्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उच्छेद (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुरुषः: a man
• पुरुषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अनन्तपापकृत्: doer of endless sins
• अनन्तपापकृत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + कृ (धातु) → कृत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); कृदन्त: कृत्-प्रत्यय (agent noun), ‘पापकृत्’ = पापं करोति; अनन्त-विशेषण-पूर्वपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तमसि: in darkness
• तमसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अन्धतामिस्रे: in the ‘blind-darkness’ (Andhatāmisra)
• अन्धतामिस्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + तामिस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/causal nuance)

• निमज्जति: sinks (down)
• निमज्जति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + मज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Andhatāmisra (naraka)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stark vision of Andhatāmisra: layered darkness, bound figure sinking, while above, the severed streams from the cow’s teats symbolize cut-off offerings; contrast between lost light and ritual fire extinguished.

Characters & Entities

• Andhatāmisra (hell)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

To obstruct the life-supporting flow of dharma (food, water, charity, ritual duty) is a grave sin with severe karmic consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This is a moral warning rather than a site-glorification; it reinforces dharma within the Dharmāraṇya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prohibition: do not ‘cut off’ or obstruct the sustenance owed to dependents—implying continued dāna, hospitality, and dharmic support.