Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

स्त्रीहत्या च तथा क्रूरा महानरकदायिनी । एतत्पातकशुद्ध्यर्थं मुनीनां वचनादहम्

Transliteration

strīhatyā ca tathā krūrā mahānarakadāyinī | etatpātakaśuddhyarthaṃ munīnāṃ vacanādaham

Translation

«Et le meurtre d’une femme aussi — si cruel — conduit au grand enfer. Pour être purifié de ces fautes, selon la parole des sages, moi…»

Word by Word

• स्त्रीहत्या: woman-slaying (sin)
• स्त्रीहत्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री + हत्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘स्त्रियाः हत्या’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारार्थ-क्रियाविशेषण

• क्रूरा: cruel, dreadful
• क्रूरा: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘(स्त्रीहत्या)’

• महानरकदायिनी: causing great hell
• महानरकदायिनी: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महानरक + दायिनी (प्रातिपदिक; दायिन् from √दा (धातु) ‘to give’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘महानरकं ददाति’ (giver of great hell)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासपूर्वपद-रूप) ‘this’; qualifies ‘पातक’ in compound

• पातकशुद्ध्यर्थम्: for the purification of (this) sin
• पातकशुद्ध्यर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातक + शुद्धि + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म/प्रयोजन), एकवचन; चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुषार्थे प्रयोजनार्थ-समासः: ‘पातकस्य शुद्ध्यर्थम्’ (for the purpose of purification of sin)

• मुनीनाम्: of the sages
• मुनीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• वचनात्: from (according to) the instruction
• वचनात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान/हेतु), एकवचन; ‘from/according to the word’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Pāṇḍya king Śaṅkara

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-kshetra (context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king speaks with trembling gravity about strīhatyā as cruel and hell-giving, and declares his intent to purify himself following the sages’ words; ministers and sages appear somber, the air thick with moral dread.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Pāṇḍya king)
• Munis
• Strīhatyā
• Naraka (hell)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Certain acts are declared profoundly adharma with severe consequences; purification requires submission to dharmic authority.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu, where the discourse on pāpa, naraka, and śuddhi unfolds within a pilgrimage setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse points to purification ‘on the sages’ word’; the concrete act is specified in the next verse.