Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

श्रीवासुदेव उवाच । पाताले यदि वा मर्त्ये नाके वा यदि तिष्ठति । तं हनिष्याम्यहं पापं येन संतापिताः सुराः

Transliteration

śrīvāsudeva uvāca | pātāle yadi vā martye nāke vā yadi tiṣṭhati | taṃ haniṣyāmyahaṃ pāpaṃ yena saṃtāpitāḥ surāḥ

Translation

ଶ୍ରୀ ବାସୁଦେବ କହିଲେ—ସେ ପାପୀ ପାତାଳରେ ହେଉ କି ମର୍ତ୍ୟଲୋକରେ ହେଉ କି ସ୍ୱର୍ଗରେ ଥାଉ; ଯେ ଦେବମାନଙ୍କୁ ସନ୍ତାପିତ କରିଛି, ତାକୁ ମୁଁ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ବଧ କରିବି।

Word by Word

• श्रीवासुदेवः: the revered Vāsudeva
• श्रीवासुदेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेष्य-विशेषणभावः (श्री + वासुदेवः)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पाताले: in the netherworld
• पाताले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• मर्त्ये: in the mortal world
• मर्त्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• नाके: in heaven
• नाके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• तिष्ठति: stands / remains
• तिष्ठति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• हनिष्यामि: I will kill
• हनिष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पापम्: the sinner / the wicked one
• पापम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तं इति सर्वनामेन सह समानाधिकरणम्

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• संतापिताः: were tormented
• संतापिताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: संतापय् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः

• सुराः: the gods
• सुराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Śrī Vāsudeva (Viṣṇu)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devas (including Indra; with Brahmā present)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vāsudeva (Viṣṇu) speaks a fierce vow: he will slay the sinful tormentor of the gods, wherever he may be—netherworld, earth, or heaven; devas appear relieved yet still anxious, gathered before Hari.

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva (Viṣṇu)
• Devas
• Pātāla
• Martya-loka (earth)
• Nāka (heaven)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

No realm is beyond divine governance; the Lord’s protection follows the devotee across all worlds.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse emphasizes cosmic scope (three realms) rather than a location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a declaration (saṅkalpa) of divine intervention.