Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

अथ तं नरके घोरे पतितं शिवकिंकराः । निन्युर्विमानमारोप्य प्रसह्य यमकिंकरान्

Transliteration

atha taṃ narake ghore patitaṃ śivakiṃkarāḥ | ninyurvimānamāropya prasahya yamakiṃkarān

Translation

मग तो घोर नरकात पडला असता, शिवकिंकरांनी त्याला विमानावर चढवून, यमकिंकरांना बलपूर्वक परास्त करून नेले.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (conjunctive particle: then)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• नरके: in hell
• नरके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• घोरे: terrible
• घोरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; 'नरके' इति विशेषणम्

• पतितम्: fallen (into)
• पतितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) 'पतित'; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'तम्' इति विशेषणम्

• शिवकिंकराः: Śiva's attendants
• शिवकिंकराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + किंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य किंकराः)

• निन्युः: led; carried away
• निन्युः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• विमानम्: a celestial chariot
• विमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आरोप्य: having mounted; having placed (him) on
• आरोप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• प्रसह्य: forcibly
• प्रसह्य: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + सह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); बलपूर्वकत्वे (with force)

• यमकिंकरान्: Yama's attendants
• यमकिंकरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक) + किंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (यमस्य किंकरान्)

Speaker

Vāmadeva

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A terrifying hellscape where the sinner falls; suddenly radiant Śiva-gaṇas descend, place him on a shining vimāna, and drive away Yama’s attendants in a forceful confrontation.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Yama
• Śivadūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s grace can override even hellish fate when a purifying Śaiva connection (here, bhasma-contact) exists.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse glorifies Śiva’s salvific agency through His attendants.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the narrative emphasizes divine intervention rather than a performed rite.