Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

हाहा कष्टं कृतं मेऽद्य दुष्कृतं पापकर्मणा । किं करोमि कथं कर्म कस्मिन्स्थाने तु मोचये

Transliteration

hāhā kaṣṭaṃ kṛtaṃ me'dya duṣkṛtaṃ pāpakarmaṇā | kiṃ karomi kathaṃ karma kasminsthāne tu mocaye

Translation

അയ്യോ അയ്യോ! ഇന്ന് പാപകർമ്മം മൂലം ഞാൻ ഭീകരമായ ദുഷ്കൃത്യം ചെയ്തു. ഇനി ഞാൻ എന്ത് ചെയ്യണം, എങ്ങനെ പ്രവർത്തിക്കണം, ഏത് സ്ഥലത്ത് ഈ പാപത്തിൽ നിന്ന് മോചനം ലഭിക്കും?

Word by Word

• हाहा: alas! alas!
• हाहा: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हाहा (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मय/शोकसूचक अव्यय (interjection)

• कष्टम्: a calamity, trouble
• कष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भाववाचक

• कृतम्: done, committed
• कृतम्: Kriya (Result state/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः

• मे: by me / of me
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अद्य: today, now
• अद्य: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• दुष्कृतम्: evil deed, wrongdoing
• दुष्कृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भाववाचक

• पाप-कर्मणा: by sinful action
• पाप-कर्मणा: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (पापं कर्म)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• करोमि: do I do? / shall I do?
• करोमि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• कर्म: act, deed
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कस्मिन्: in which?
• कस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• स्थाने: place
• स्थाने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तु: indeed, but
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषार्थक (indeed/but)

• मोचये: shall I free/release (him/it)
• मोचये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense possible in context (to free/relieve)

Speaker

Dānava (Andhaka implied, quoted within Mārkaṇḍeya’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Unspecified (prāyaścitta-tīrtha sought)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The daitya, shaken, cries out in lament, hands raised, eyes wet; the background suggests a threshold—between violence and repentance.

Characters & Entities

• Dānava (Andhaka implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the fallen can awaken to remorse; recognition of pāpa and the desire for release is the first step toward prāyaścitta and transformation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse asks generally about “which place” grants release; within Revā Khaṇḍa this question is naturally framed by the sanctity of Revā/Narmadā tīrthas, though no single site is named here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the verse expresses the impulse toward prāyaścitta (atonement) and seeking a liberating tīrtha.