Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

सकलं रौरवे रौद्रे पतितस्य सुदुर्मते । वयं त्वा ब्राह्मणं मत्वा ब्रूम एतदसंशयम्

Transliteration

sakalaṃ raurave raudre patitasya sudurmate | vayaṃ tvā brāhmaṇaṃ matvā brūma etadasaṃśayam

Translation

«Pour celui qui est tombé dans le terrible Raurava (enfer), ô homme à l’esprit mauvais, la souffrance est totale. Pourtant, te tenant pour un brāhmaṇa, nous te disons ceci sans aucun doute.»

Word by Word

• सकलम्: entire/whole
• सकलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• रौरवे: in Raurava (hell)
• रौरवे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; नरक-नाम

• रौद्रे: in Raudra (hell)
• रौद्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; नरक-नाम

• पतितस्य: of the fallen one
• पतितस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; पत् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त ‘fallen’

• सुदुर्मते: O very wicked-minded one
• सुदुर्मते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दुर्मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सु+दुर्मति = very evil-minded)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• त्वा: you
• त्वा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (enclitic form)

• ब्राह्मणम्: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मप्रत्यय/सम्बोधनार्थे न

• मत्वा: having considered
• मत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु) → मत्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund): having thought/considered

• ब्रूमः: we say
• ब्रूमः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• असंशयम्: without doubt
• असंशयम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अ (नञ्) + संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण (without doubt)

Speaker

Ṛṣis (Sages)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: sudurmatiḥ (evil-minded man), addressed as brāhmaṇa by courtesy/ethical ideal

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages speak of Raurava; behind them, a faint visionary backdrop suggests a terrifying hellscape—flames, serpents, cries—while the sages remain composed, offering a lifeline.

Characters & Entities

• Raurava (Naraka)
• Ṛṣis
• Brāhmaṇa (as social-religious identity)
• Caurā (thief)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Actions have grave consequences; the sages warn of hellish outcomes while still extending guidance grounded in dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports the moral framework within a tīrtha-māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is stated; the focus is on karmic consequence (naraka) and ethical correction.