Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

पुरीषभोजनं रेतःपानं संधिषु दाहनम् । अंगारशय्याभ्रमणं तथा मुसलमर्द्दनम्

Transliteration

purīṣabhojanaṃ retaḥpānaṃ saṃdhiṣu dāhanam | aṃgāraśayyābhramaṇaṃ tathā musalamarddanam

Translation

Il n’affronte pas des enfers tels que manger des immondices, boire du sperme, être brûlé aux articulations, se rouler sur un lit de braises, ou être broyé sous des massues.

Word by Word

• पुरीषभोजनम्: eating excrement
• पुरीषभोजनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरीष (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पुरीषस्य भोजनम्)

• रेतःपानम्: drinking semen
• रेतःपानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेतस् (प्रातिपदिक) + पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रेतसः पानम्)

• संधिषु: in the joints
• संधिषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• दाहनम्: burning
• दाहनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाहन (प्रातिपदिक; √दह् (धातु) से निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अंगारशय्याभ्रमणम्: rolling/roaming on a bed of embers
• अंगारशय्याभ्रमणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंगार (प्रातिपदिक) + शय्या (प्रातिपदिक) + भ्रमण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अंगारशय्यायां भ्रमणम्)

• तथा: likewise; also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), समुच्चय/सादृश्यार्थे

• मुसलमर्द्दनम्: pounding with a pestle/club
• मुसलमर्द्दनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुसल (प्रातिपदिक) + मर्दन (प्रातिपदिक; √मृद्/मर्द् (धातु) से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तृतीया/करण-तत्पुरुषः (मुसलेन मर्दनम्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual attribution)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setutīrtha (Setubandha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sequence-like tableau: infernal scenes of forced filth-eating, foul drinking, burning at joints, rolling on embers, and club-pounding appear as dark visions; in the foreground, the Setu pilgrim emerges from the sea purified, the visions breaking apart like smoke.

Characters & Entities

• Setu (Setubandha/Rāmeśvara region)
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-bathing at Setu is upheld as a karmic purifier that averts degrading and painful retributions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu/Setubandha (Rāmeśvara).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Setu-snāna is the implied practice behind the promised protection.