Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

निषिद्धाचरणं तस्मात्कथयिष्ये तवाग्रतः । तद्दूरतः परित्यज्य नरो न निरयी भवेत्

Transliteration

niṣiddhācaraṇaṃ tasmātkathayiṣye tavāgrataḥ | taddūrataḥ parityajya naro na nirayī bhavet

Translation

پس میں تمہارے سامنے ممنوع اعمال بیان کروں گا۔ جو انہیں دور ہی سے بالکل ترک کر دے، وہ دوزخ کا مستحق نہیں بنتا۔

Word by Word

• निषिद्धाचरणम्: forbidden conduct
• निषिद्धाचरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निषिद्ध (कृदन्त, नि+षिध्) + आचरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (निषिद्धस्य आचरणम्)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादानार्थे (ablatival adverb) = ‘therefore/from that reason’

• कथयिष्ये: I will tell
• कथयिष्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु; causative of कथ्)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद-रूपार्थे प्रयोगः (अत्र आत्मनेपद-रूपम्)

• तव: to you/your
• तव: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अग्रतः: in your presence
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (adverb) = ‘in front/presence’

• तत्: that (conduct)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दूरतः: from far away
• दूरतः: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) = ‘from afar/at a distance’

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि+त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) = ‘having abandoned’

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निषेध-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• निरयी: hell-bound
• निरयी: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरयिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (नरस्य)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A questioning devotee/pilgrim (generic adhikārin)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher-narrator in Kāśī instructs a listener, listing prohibited acts; behind them are ghāṭas of Gaṅgā and the silhouette of Viśvanātha’s shrine, evoking discipline before sacred entry.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (implied)
• Niraya (hell)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Renouncing prohibited actions is presented as a direct safeguard against falling into a hellish destiny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, where disciplined living supports liberation-oriented dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A general niyama is given: fully abandon forbidden practices; specific food rules follow in subsequent verses.