Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 135

Devanagari script

तथा नारकिणां दुःखं प्रसिद्धं किं च वर्ण्यते । स्थावरेष्वपिदुःखानि दावाग्निहिमशोषणम्

Transliteration

tathā nārakiṇāṃ duḥkhaṃ prasiddhaṃ kiṃ ca varṇyate | sthāvareṣvapiduḥkhāni dāvāgnihimaśoṣaṇam

Translation

ସେହିପରି ନରକବାସୀମାନଙ୍କ ଦୁଃଖ ପ୍ରସିଦ୍ଧ—ଆଉ କ’ଣ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନା କରିବା? ସ୍ଥାବରମାନଙ୍କରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଦୁଃଖ ଅଛି: ଦାବାଗ୍ନି, ହିମଶୀତ, ଏବଂ ଶୋଷକ ଖରା।

Word by Word

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (रीतिवाचक adverb): ‘likewise/in the same way’

• नारकिणाम्: of the denizens of hell
• नारकिणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ‘hell-dwellers’

• दुःखम्: suffering
• दुःखम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रसिद्धम्: well-known
• प्रसिद्धम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• किम्: what (need)?
• किम्: Sambandha (Interrogative particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोग (प्रश्नार्थक निपात): ‘why/what (need)?’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• वर्ण्यते: is described
• वर्ण्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive): ‘is described’

• स्थावरेषु: among immobile beings (plants/trees)
• स्थावरेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थावर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (जातिवाचक), सप्तमी, बहुवचन; ‘in immobile beings/trees etc.’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात): ‘even’

• दुःखानि: sufferings
• दुःखानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• दावाग्नि-हिम-शोषणम्: forest-fire, cold, and drying (as afflictions)
• दावाग्नि-हिम-शोषणम्: Karta-predicative (Apposition/विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाव (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + हिम (प्रातिपदिक) + शोषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (दावाग्निः च हिमः च शोषणं च) समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Triptych: (1) a distant, hinted naraka scene (kept symbolic, not grotesque), (2) a forest fire sweeping through trees, (3) frost/cold and drought with withering plants—showing suffering even in sthāvara life; a compassionate pilgrim offering water and shelter.

Characters & Entities

• Naraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Suffering pervades all states—hell and even plant-life—urging detachment and pursuit of liberating dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it is a doctrinal reflection within the narrative flow.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive, not prescriptive.