Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

असिपत्रवनं याति वृक्षच्छेदी वृथैव यत् । कुहकाजीविनः सर्वे वह्निज्वाले पतंति ते

Transliteration

asipatravanaṃ yāti vṛkṣacchedī vṛthaiva yat | kuhakājīvinaḥ sarve vahnijvāle pataṃti te

Translation

കാരണമില്ലാതെ വൃക്ഷങ്ങൾ വെട്ടുന്നവൻ അസിപത്രവനത്തിലേക്കു പോകുന്നു. കപടതയാൽ ജീവിക്കുന്നവർ എല്ലാവരും വഹ്നിജ്വാല നരകത്തിൽ പതിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• असिपत्रवनम्: the forest of sword-leaves
• असिपत्रवनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असि + पत्र + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (असिपत्राणां वनम्)

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वृक्षच्छेदी: a tree-cutter
• वृक्षच्छेदी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष + छेदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (वृक्षान् छिनत्ति)

• वृथा: in vain, uselessly
• वृथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वृथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• यत्: which/that (act)
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• कुहकाजीविनः: those who live by deceit/cheating
• कुहकाजीविनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुहक + जीविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कुहकेन जीवति)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• वह्निज्वाले: in the flame of fire
• वह्निज्वाले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि + ज्वाला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वह्नेः ज्वाला)

• पतन्ति: fall
• पतन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; निर्देशार्थक

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative convention)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Asipatravana / Vahnijvāla (narakas)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/Devotees

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A woodcutter fells a flourishing tree without necessity; nearby, a deceitful trader hides false weights. Behind them appear symbolic visions: a forest of sword-leaves (Asipatravana) and a corridor of flames (Vahnijvāla).

Characters & Entities

• Asipatravana
• Vahnijvāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Unnecessary harm to living beings (like trees) and deceitful livelihood violate dharma and bring painful results.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No earthly tīrtha is glorified; Asipatravana and Vahnijvāla are infernal realms used to teach dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the implied prescription is ahiṃsā and honest livelihood.