Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

पुरीषभोजनं रेतःपानं संधिषु दाहनम् । अंगारशय्याभ्रमणं तथा मुसलमर्द्दनम्

Transliteration

purīṣabhojanaṃ retaḥpānaṃ saṃdhiṣu dāhanam | aṃgāraśayyābhramaṇaṃ tathā musalamarddanam

Translation

เขาย่อมไม่ต้องประสบนรกทัณฑ์ เช่น กินของโสโครก ดื่มน้ำกาม ถูกเผาที่ข้อต่อ กลิ้งไปบนแท่นถ่านเพลิง หรือถูกทุบด้วยกระบองหนัก

Word by Word

• पुरीषभोजनम्: eating excrement
• पुरीषभोजनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरीष (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पुरीषस्य भोजनम्)

• रेतःपानम्: drinking semen
• रेतःपानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेतस् (प्रातिपदिक) + पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रेतसः पानम्)

• संधिषु: in the joints
• संधिषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• दाहनम्: burning
• दाहनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाहन (प्रातिपदिक; √दह् (धातु) से निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अंगारशय्याभ्रमणम्: rolling/roaming on a bed of embers
• अंगारशय्याभ्रमणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंगार (प्रातिपदिक) + शय्या (प्रातिपदिक) + भ्रमण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अंगारशय्यायां भ्रमणम्)

• तथा: likewise; also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), समुच्चय/सादृश्यार्थे

• मुसलमर्द्दनम्: pounding with a pestle/club
• मुसलमर्द्दनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुसल (प्रातिपदिक) + मर्दन (प्रातिपदिक; √मृद्/मर्द् (धातु) से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तृतीया/करण-तत्पुरुषः (मुसलेन मर्दनम्)

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setutīrtha (Setubandha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sequence-like tableau: infernal scenes of forced filth-eating, foul drinking, burning at joints, rolling on embers, and club-pounding appear as dark visions; in the foreground, the Setu pilgrim emerges from the sea purified, the visions breaking apart like smoke.

Characters & Entities

• Setu (Setubandha/Rāmeśvara region)
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-bathing at Setu is upheld as a karmic purifier that averts degrading and painful retributions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu/Setubandha (Rāmeśvara).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Setu-snāna is the implied practice behind the promised protection.