Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 114

Devanagari script

आत्मानं बहुधा निंदञ्छाश्वतीर्न्यवसं समाः । नरके या मतिर्भूयाद्धर्मं प्रति प्रपीडतः

Transliteration

ātmānaṃ bahudhā niṃdañchāśvatīrnyavasaṃ samāḥ | narake yā matirbhūyāddharmaṃ prati prapīḍataḥ

Translation

ਆਪਣੇ ਆਪ ਨੂੰ ਅਨੇਕ ਢੰਗਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਦੋਸ਼ੀ ਠਹਿਰਾਂਦਾ ਮੈਂ ਨਰਕ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਨੰਤ ਵਰ੍ਹਿਆਂ ਤੱਕ ਵੱਸਿਆ। ਜੋ ਧਰਮ ਨੂੰ ਦਬਾਉਂਦਾ ਹੈ, ਉਸ ਉੱਤੇ ਇਹੀ ਮਤਿ ਮੁੜ ਮੁੜ ਆਉਂਦੀ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• आत्मानम्: oneself
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (masc., accusative sg.)

• बहुधा: in many ways
• बहुधा: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner: 'in many ways')

• निन्दन्: blaming/censuring
• निन्दन्: Karta (Agent participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निन्द् (धातु) + शतृ → निन्दन् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकर्तरि कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणभावे/समानकर्तृक (present active participle, nom. sg.)

• शाश्वतीः: everlasting
• शाश्वतीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (fem., accusative pl.)

• न्यवसम्: I dwelt/lived
• न्यवसम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (imperfect, 1st sg.)

• समाः: years
• समाः: Karma (Extent/कर्म-परिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन (masc., accusative pl.; 'years')

• नरके: in hell
• नरके: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (masc., locative sg.)

• या: which
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक-सर्वनाम (fem., nominative sg.; relative)

• मतिः: thought/understanding
• मतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (fem., nominative sg.)

• भूयात्: may be/arise
• भूयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (optative, 3rd sg.)

• धर्मम्: dharma/righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (masc., accusative sg.)

• प्रति: towards/against
• प्रति: Sambandha (Direction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश-पूर्वसर्ग/अव्यय (preposition: 'towards/against')

• प्रपीडतः: of (me) oppressing
• प्रपीडतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + पीड् (धातु) + शतृ → प्रपीडत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकर्तरि कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (genitive sg.; 'of one who oppresses')

Speaker

A repentant sinner (self-confession narrative; specific name not in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solitary soul sits amid a bleak hellscape, head bowed, hands clasped in remorse; behind him a wheel motif suggests recurrence; faint silhouettes of dharma-personified appear as an accusing yet instructive presence.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Harming dharma—truth, justice, and right conduct—creates severe karmic consequences and deep remorse.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No pilgrimage site is referenced.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly.