Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

नरकं च भवेत्तस्य द्वितीयं यमशासनम् । नैव भागवतं यत्र पुराणं गीयते कलौ । अन्धकूपेषु क्षिप्यंते ज्वलितेषु हुताशने

Transliteration

narakaṃ ca bhavettasya dvitīyaṃ yamaśāsanam | naiva bhāgavataṃ yatra purāṇaṃ gīyate kalau | andhakūpeṣu kṣipyaṃte jvaliteṣu hutāśane

Translation

କଳିଯୁଗରେ ଯେଉଁଠାରେ ଭାଗବତ ପୁରାଣ ଗାୟନ ହୁଏନାହିଁ, ସେ ସ୍ଥାନ ନରକ ହୋଇଯାଏ—ଯମଶାସନର ଦ୍ୱିତୀୟ ରୂପ। (ଏମାନେ) ଅନ୍ଧକୂପରେ ଓ ଜ୍ୱଳିତ ଅଗ୍ନିରେ ନିକ୍ଷିପ୍ତ ହୁଅନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• नरकं: hell
• नरकं: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular)

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

• भवेत्: would be/becomes
• भवेत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (सम्भावना/आज्ञा), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Optative, 3rd sg.)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive, Singular)

• द्वितीयं: second
• द्वितीयं: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular); विशेषण

• यमशासनम्: Yama’s punishment/command
• यमशासनम्: Pradhāna-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम + शासन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (यमस्य शासनम्)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic/only)

• भागवतं: the Bhāgavata (Purāṇa)
• भागवतं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भागवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular)

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

• पुराणं: Purāṇa
• पुराणं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular)

• गीयते: is sung/recited
• गीयते: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Present Indicative, 3rd sg., Passive)

• कलौ: in the Kali age
• कलौ: Adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Locative, Singular)

• अन्धकूपेषु: in blind wells
• अन्धकूपेषु: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्ध + कूप (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Locative, Plural); कर्मधारय (अन्धः कूपः)

• क्षिप्यन्ते: are thrown
• क्षिप्यन्ते: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Present Indicative, 3rd pl., Passive)

• ज्वलितेषु: blazing/burning
• ज्वलितेषु: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वलित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; ज्वल् + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Neuter, Locative, Plural); भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• हुताशने: in fire (Hutāśana)
• हुताशने: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुत + अशन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Locative, Singular); उपपद-तत्पुरुष (हुतं अश्नाति इति)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A temple courtyard where singers chant Bhāgavata with cymbals and drum, Kṛṣṇa’s līlā scenes painted behind; contrasted with a dark ‘blind well’ and blazing fire as allegorical consequences for a place devoid of Bhāgavata-gāna.

Characters & Entities

• Bhāgavata Purāṇa
• Kali-yuga
• Yama
• Agni (hutāśana)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic singing/recitation is upheld as a saving grace in Kali-yuga; hostility to it leads to spiritual downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā’s devotional culture is praised, where Bhāgavata recitation is treated as a hallmark of dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sing/recite the Bhāgavata Purāṇa in Kali-yuga (bhāgavata-gāna/paṭhana/śravaṇa).