Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

शिवदूतान्समभ्येत्य यमोपि परिपृष्टवान् । महापातककर्त्तारं कथमेनं निनीषथ

Transliteration

śivadūtānsamabhyetya yamopi paripṛṣṭavān | mahāpātakakarttāraṃ kathamenaṃ ninīṣatha

Translation

சிவதூதர்களை அணுகி யமனும் கேட்டான்— ‘இவன் மகாபாதகம் செய்தவன்; இவனை நீங்கள் எவ்வாறு அழைத்துச் செல்ல விரும்புகிறீர்கள்?’

Word by Word

• शिवदूतान्: Śiva's messengers
• शिवदूतान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + दूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य दूतान्)

• समभ्येत्य: having approached
• समभ्येत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अभि + इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (particle: also)

• परिपृष्टवान्: asked; inquired
• परिपृष्टवान्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (perfect participle active); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महापातककर्त्तारम्: the perpetrator of a great sin
• महापातककर्त्तारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महापातक (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महापातकस्य कर्तारम्)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb)

• एनम्: this one; him
• एनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद्/इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निनीषथ: do you lead (away)
• निनीषथ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Vāmadeva (narrating); Yama speaks within the narrative

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yama, regal and stern, confronts radiant Śiva-dūtas; a courtroom-like cosmic setting with attendants, scrolls/records, and a tense but principled exchange.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Śivadūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic justice recognizes sin, yet higher divine grace and dharmic marks can warrant exceptional release.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the focus is on afterlife governance (Yama) and Śiva’s authority.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it frames a doctrinal question about eligibility for deliverance.