Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

तत्र लोहमयान्येवासिपत्राणां शतानि च । यानि कृन्तंति मर्त्यानां शरीराणि समंततः

Transliteration

tatra lohamayānyevāsipatrāṇāṃ śatāni ca | yāni kṛntaṃti martyānāṃ śarīrāṇi samaṃtataḥ

Translation

Là, en vérité, se trouvent des centaines de « feuilles-épées » en fer, qui déchirent les corps des mortels de tous côtés.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• लोहमयानि: made of iron
• लोहमयानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोहमय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom./1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (लोहेन मयम्)

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• असिपत्राणाम्: of sword-leaves
• असिपत्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असिपत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Gen./6th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (असेः पत्रम्)

• शतानि: hundreds
• शतानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• यानि: which
• यानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• कृन्तन्ति: cut, slice
• कृन्तन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• मर्त्यानाम्: of mortals
• मर्त्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• शरीराणि: bodies
• शरीराणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc./2nd), बहुवचन

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• समन्ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परितोऽर्थक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: on all sides)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Asipatravana

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close-up of iron sword-leaves in dense clusters; sinners’ bodies are lacerated as they pass; the forest feels claustrophobic, metallic, and merciless.

Characters & Entities

• Asipatravana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Graphic consequences of pāpa are described to strengthen resolve for dharma and self-restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No earthly tīrtha is named; the verse continues the depiction of Asipatravana in the afterworld.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it details the nature of punishment in a sinful realm.