Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 105

Devanagari script

वालुकायोऽश्मस्थला च पच्यते यत्र दुष्कृती । अवीचिर्नरको यत्र यत्र यामलपर्वतौ

Transliteration

vālukāyo'śmasthalā ca pacyate yatra duṣkṛtī | avīcirnarako yatra yatra yāmalaparvatau

Translation

ଯେଉଁଠାରେ ଜ୍ୱଳନ୍ତ ବାଲୁକାର ଶୟ୍ୟା ଓ ପାଥରିଆ ଭୂମି ଅଛି, ଯେଉଁଠାରେ ଦୁଷ୍କୃତୀ ‘ପକାଯାଏ’ ପରି ଯାତନା ଭୋଗେ; ଯେଉଁଠାରେ ଅବୀଚି ନରକ ଅଛି, ଏବଂ ଯେଉଁଠାରେ ଯାମଲ ନାମକ ଯୁଗଳ ପର୍ବତ ଅଛି—ସେସବୁ ଭୟଙ୍କର ସ୍ଥାନ।

Word by Word

• वालुकायः: sand-bed/sandy ground
• वालुकायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वालुकाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अश्मस्थला: rocky ground
• अश्मस्थला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्मन् + स्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अश्मनः स्थलम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• पच्यते: is burned/tormented (as if cooked)
• पच्यते: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (is cooked/burned)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• दुष्कृती: the evil-doer/sinner
• दुष्कृती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्कृतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक (evil-doer)

• अवीचिः: Avīci (a hell)
• अवीचिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवीचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; नरक-नाम

• नरकः: hell
• नरकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; अवीचिः इति नरकः (apposition)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

• यामलपर्वतौ: the twin mountains (Yāmala mountains)
• यामलपर्वतौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यामल + पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (यामलौ पर्वतौ)

Speaker

Narratorial voice within Revā Khaṇḍa (exact speaker not in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stark infernal landscape: blazing sandbanks and jagged stone plains where sinners are tormented; in the distance, the abyss of Avīci and the looming twin Yāmala mountains.

Characters & Entities

• Avīci
• Yāmala-parvata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Actions have consequences described as concrete post-mortem suffering; dharmic purification is presented as a means to avoid such states.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single earthly tīrtha is named in this verse; it serves the Revā Khaṇḍa’s broader teaching by contrasting the river’s purifying merit with hellish outcomes.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly in this verse; it continues the afterlife description that frames the benefit of the preceding vow/dāna.