Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

शाल्मल्यारोहणं रक्तभोजनं कृमिभोजनम् । स्वमांसभोजनं चैव वह्निज्वालाप्रवेशनम्

Transliteration

śālmalyārohaṇaṃ raktabhojanaṃ kṛmibhojanam | svamāṃsabhojanaṃ caiva vahnijvālāpraveśanam

Translation

สำหรับผู้ที่อาบน้ำที่เสตุ ย่อมไม่ต้องเห็นทัณฑกรรม เช่น ปีนต้นศาลมลี กินเลือด กินหนอน กินเนื้อตนเอง หรือเข้าไปในเปลวไฟอันลุกโชน

Word by Word

• शाल्मल्यारोहणम्: climbing the śālmali tree
• शाल्मल्यारोहणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्मली (प्रातिपदिक) + आरोहण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शाल्मल्याः आरोहणम्)

• रक्तभोजनम्: eating blood
• रक्तभोजनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (रक्तं भोजनम् / रक्तस्य भोजनम्)

• कृमिभोजनम्: eating worms
• कृमिभोजनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृमि (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कृमेः भोजनम्)

• स्वमांसभोजनम्: eating one’s own flesh
• स्वमांसभोजनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + मांस (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य मांसस्य भोजनम्)

• च: and
• च: Connector (Samuccaya/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• एव: indeed
• एव: Modifier (Avyaya/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• वह्निज्वालाप्रवेशनम्: entering into flames of fire
• वह्निज्वालाप्रवेशनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्वाला (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वह्निज्वालायाः प्रवेशः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual attribution)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setutīrtha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Implied brāhmaṇa audience within the frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sequence-like tableau: on one side, horrific punishments—climbing thorny śālmali, forced blood/worm consumption, self-flesh eating, entering flames; on the other, the Setu-bather emerges from the sea radiant, the torments fading like nightmares.

Characters & Entities

• Setu (Setubandha/Rāmeśvara region)
• Śālmali (hell imagery)
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage-bathing at Setu is praised as a dharmic remedy that shields one from horrific karmic retributions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu (Setubandha/Rāmeśvara), the tirtha celebrated in Setukhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied: undertaking Setu-snāna with faith; the verse lists the sufferings that are avoided thereby.