Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 113

Devanagari script

यमदुतैस्ततः कृष्टः स्मार्यमामः स्वचेष्टितम् । खड्गैश्च कृत्यमानोऽहं जीवामि प्रमियामि च

Transliteration

yamadutaistataḥ kṛṣṭaḥ smāryamāmaḥ svaceṣṭitam | khaḍgaiśca kṛtyamāno'haṃ jīvāmi pramiyāmi ca

Translation

Traîné là par les messagers de Yama, je fus contraint de me souvenir de mes propres actes ; et, tailladé par des épées, je mourais et pourtant revivais—encore et encore.

Word by Word

• यमदूतैः: by Yama's messengers
• यमदूतैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instr./करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम-दूत (प्रातिपदिक; यम + दूत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन (masc., instr. pl.)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequence/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/अनन्तर्ये अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• कृष्टः: dragged/pulled
• कृष्टः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष् (धातु) + क्त → कृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (PPP)

• स्मार्यमाणः: being made to remember
• स्मार्यमाणः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + णिच् → स्मारय्; कर्मणि शानच् → स्मार्यमाण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकर्मणि कृदन्त (कर्मणि शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (present passive participle)

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

• स्वचेष्टितम्: my own deeds
• स्वचेष्टितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-चेष्टित (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + चेष्टित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (neut., accusative sg.)

• खड्गैः: with swords
• खड्गैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खड्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन (masc., instr. pl.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• कृत्यमानः: being tormented/acted upon
• कृत्यमानः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + कर्मणि शानच् → कृत्यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकर्मणि कृदन्त (कर्मणि शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (present passive participle)

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

• जीवामि: I live
• जीवामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (present indicative, 1st sg.)

• प्रमियामि: I die/perish
• प्रमियामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + मि (धातु; मि = मरणे/क्षये)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (present indicative, 1st sg.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

Speaker

A repentant sinner (self-confession narrative; specific name not in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Yamasthāna / Naraka (continuation)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yamadūtas with nooses drag the soul across a bleak hell-ground; a tableau of memory appears like a mirror showing his past hypocrisy; swords descend, and the body repeatedly falls and re-forms.

Characters & Entities

• Yamadūta
• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In naraka, one is confronted with one’s own actions; suffering is portrayed as repetitive and inescapable until karma is exhausted.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive of karmic punishment.