Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

अत्रोपायं करिष्यामि पापयोर्ध्रुवमेतयोः । मर्तुं वा जीवितुं वापि न क्षमौ पापभोगिनौ

Transliteration

atropāyaṃ kariṣyāmi pāpayordhruvametayoḥ | martuṃ vā jīvituṃ vāpi na kṣamau pāpabhoginau

Translation

अत्राहं निश्चयं कृत्वा पापयोरेतयोर्ध्रुवम्। उपायं करिष्यामि; न मर्तुं नापि जीवितुं क्षमौ पापफलभोगिनौ॥

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• उपायम्: a means, remedy
• उपायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• करिष्यामि: I will do/make
• करिष्यामि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• पापयोः: of the two sinners / of the two evil ones
• पापयोः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन

• ध्रुवम्: certainly, surely
• ध्रुवम्: Visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• एतयोः: of these two
• एतयोः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• मर्तुम्: to die
• मर्तुम्: Karma (Complement of ability/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), अव्ययवत्; विकल्पार्थे (as option)

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

• जीवितुम्: to live
• जीवितुम्: Karma (Complement of ability/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), अव्ययवत्; विकल्पार्थे

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Visheshana (Particle modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (also/even)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• क्षमौ: able, capable
• क्षमौ: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (of pāpabhoginau)

• पापभोगिनौ: the two experiencers of sin (suffering for sin)
• पापभोगिनौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + भोगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पापस्य भोगी)

Speaker

A king (bhūmipāla) speaking (exact name not in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, troubled yet resolute, speaks to himself or ministers, planning a ‘remedy’ for the sinners; the afflicted sons remain nearby, embodying karmic burden.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Karma is inescapable: those bound to pāpa-bhoga suffer its results until exhausted, creating hard moral dilemmas for others.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse; it focuses on karmic consequence and decision-making.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse speaks of finding an ‘upāya’ (means), not a specified rite.