Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

व्यास उवाच । पतनं साहसानां च नरकस्यैव कारणम् । योनिकुण्डमिदं सृष्टं कुंभीपाकसमं भुवि

Transliteration

vyāsa uvāca | patanaṃ sāhasānāṃ ca narakasyaiva kāraṇam | yonikuṇḍamidaṃ sṛṣṭaṃ kuṃbhīpākasamaṃ bhuvi

Translation

வியாசர் கூறினார்—அவிவேகத் துணிவாளரின் வீழ்ச்சியே நரகத்திற்குக் காரணம். பூமியில் இந்த ‘யோனி-குண்டம்’ படைக்கப்பட்டது; இது ‘கும்பீபாக’ நரகத்துக்கு ஒப்பானது.

Word by Word

• व्यासः: Vyāsa
• व्यासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पतनम्: fall, downfall
• पतनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• साहसानाम्: of rash acts / violences
• साहसानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साहस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

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

• नरकस्य: of hell
• नरकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• कारणम्: cause
• कारणम्: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समाना)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• योनिकुण्डम्: the ‘yoni-pit’ (a hell-pit)
• योनिकुण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक) + कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (योन्याः कुण्डम्)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Viśeṣaṇa (adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• सृष्टम्: created, made
• सृष्टम्: Kriya (verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु) + सृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकालिक-कर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम्

• कुंभीपाकसमम्: equal to Kumbhīpāka (hell)
• कुंभीपाकसमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुंभीपाक (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपमान-तत्पुरुषः (कुंभीपाकेन समम्)

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव्/भूमि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

Speaker

Vyāsa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Yonikunda

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpa-sattama (best of kings) / royal interlocutor

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vyāsa instructs a king: a dark, ominous ‘yoni-kunda’ on earth is shown as a mouth-like pit with heat shimmer, visually echoing Kumbhīpāka; the teacher’s gesture is admonitory, not sensational.

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Naraka
• Kumbhīpāka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Recklessness and moral transgression lead to spiritual ruin; unchecked sensual entanglement is depicted as hellish even on earth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse functions as moral instruction within Dharmāraṇya’s narrative; it underscores the forest’s role as a place where Dharma is taught through stark exemplars.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; it is a cautionary dharma-upadeśa (ethical instruction) regarding conduct.