Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

कल्पत्रयं विष्णुपदे स्थित्वा तत्रैव मुच्यते । अधःशिरःशोषणं च नरकं क्षारसेवनम्

Transliteration

kalpatrayaṃ viṣṇupade sthitvā tatraiva mucyate | adhaḥśiraḥśoṣaṇaṃ ca narakaṃ kṣārasevanam

Translation

ครั้นได้พำนักในแดนพระวิษณุถึงสามกัลปะ ผู้นั้นย่อมหลุดพ้น ณ ที่นั้นเอง; เพราะฉะนั้นจึงไม่ต้องไปสู่นรกที่ถูกแขวนหัวลงให้แห้ง และนรกแห่งการเสวยด่างกัดกร่อน

Word by Word

• कल्पत्रयम्: three kalpas
• कल्पत्रयम्: Karma/Duration (कर्म-काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (त्रयः कल्पाः)

• विष्णुपदे: in Viṣṇu’s abode/footstep
• विष्णुपदे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विष्णोः पदे)

• स्थित्वा: having stayed
• स्थित्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) = having stayed/standing

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Adverbial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

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

• मुच्यते: is liberated/released
• मुच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• अधःशिरःशोषणम्: drying (torment) while head-down
• अधःशिरःशोषणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधः (अव्यय) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + शोषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—अव्ययीभाव (अधः-शिरः = head-down) + तत्पुरुष (शिरसः शोषणम्)

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

• नरकम्: hell
• नरकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्षारसेवनम्: consuming alkali (torment)
• क्षारसेवनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षार (प्रातिपदिक) + सेवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्षारस्य सेवनम्)

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setutīrtha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas/audience within Setu-māhātmya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee, purified by Setu, is shown ascending to Viṣṇupada: a radiant Vaikuṇṭha realm with Viṣṇu enthroned; below, the two hells—head-down drying and alkali consumption—are depicted as dark pits sealed shut.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇupada (abode of Viṣṇu)
• Setu (implied by continuity)
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Setu-related merit is described as leading to exalted posthumous states (Viṣṇupada) and ultimately release from bondage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu/Setubandha, in whose praise these results are being stated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied: Setu-snāna/pilgrimage, whose fruit is described as residence in Viṣṇupada and liberation.