Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 24
Devanagari script
अत्रोपायं करिष्यामि पापयोर्ध्रुवमेतयोः । मर्तुं वा जीवितुं वापि न क्षमौ पापभोगिनौ
Transliteration
atropāyaṃ kariṣyāmi pāpayordhruvametayoḥ | martuṃ vā jīvituṃ vāpi na kṣamau pāpabhoginau
Translation
「ここで必ず、この二人の罪人への手立てを講じよう。罪の果報を受けているゆえ、彼らは死にも生にも堪えぬ。」
Word by Word
अत्रhere
अत्र:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअत्र (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)
उपायम्a means, remedy
उपायम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootउपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
करिष्यामिI will do/make
करिष्यामि:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formलृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्
पापयोःof the two sinners / of the two evil ones
पापयोः:
Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootपाप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन
ध्रुवम्certainly, surely
ध्रुवम्:
Visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)
एतयोःof these two
एतयोः:
Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम
मर्तुम्to die
मर्तुम्:
Karma (Complement of ability/कर्म)
TypeVerb
Rootमृ (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
Formतुमुनन्त (infinitive), अव्ययवत्; विकल्पार्थे (as option)
वाor
वा:
Sambandha (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)
जीवितुम्to live
जीवितुम्:
Karma (Complement of ability/कर्म)
TypeVerb
Rootजीव् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
Formतुमुनन्त (infinitive), अव्ययवत्; विकल्पार्थे
वाor
वा:
Sambandha (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात
अपिeven/also
अपि:
Visheshana (Particle modifier)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (also/even)
नnot
न:
Pratishedha (Negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)
क्षमौable, capable
क्षमौ:
Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootक्षम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (of pāpabhoginau)
पापभोगिनौthe two experiencers of sin (suffering for sin)
पापभोगिनौ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपाप (प्रातिपदिक) + भोगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पापस्य भोगी)
Speaker
A king (bhūmipāla) speaking (exact name not in snippet)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: The king, troubled yet resolute, speaks to himself or ministers, planning a ‘remedy’ for the sinners; the afflicted sons remain nearby, embodying karmic burden.
FAQs
Karma is inescapable: those bound to pāpa-bhoga suffer its results until exhausted, creating hard moral dilemmas for others.
No tīrtha is named in this verse; it focuses on karmic consequence and decision-making.
None; the verse speaks of finding an ‘upāya’ (means), not a specified rite.