Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

पुनश्चसृष्टिवृद्ध्यर्थं नरकत्राणनाय च । तत्र स्त्रीणां समुत्पत्तिं विना सृष्टिर्न जायते

Transliteration

punaścasṛṣṭivṛddhyarthaṃ narakatrāṇanāya ca | tatra strīṇāṃ samutpattiṃ vinā sṛṣṭirna jāyate

Translation

又复，为使造化增长，并为救脱地狱之苦，在那创生的次第中，若无女子之出现，创造便不能成就。

Word by Word

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्ति (again)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• सृष्टि-वृद्धि-अर्थम्: for the increase of creation
• सृष्टि-वृद्धि-अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थक (acc. of purpose: for the sake of)

• नरक-त्राण-नाय: for deliverance from hell
• नरक-त्राण-नाय: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक) + त्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + नाय (प्रातिपदिक; नय/नाय = हेतु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; प्रयोजन (dat. of purpose: for saving)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• तत्र: there/in that
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/प्रसङ्ग (there/in that context)

• स्त्रीणाम्: of women
• स्त्रीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन (gen. pl.)

• समुत्पत्तिम्: origin/production
• समुत्पत्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुत्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (acc. sg.)

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (Exclusion/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वियोग/अभावार्थक उपपद (preposition: without; governs acc.)

• सृष्टिः: creation
• सृष्टिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (nom. sg.)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (not)

• जायते: arises/is born
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (present, 3rd sg., middle)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative convention)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic cosmological tableau: Brahmā’s creation unfolding, male and female principles manifesting; below, a family line performing śrāddha indicating ‘naraka-trāṇa’.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It affirms that social and cosmic order depend on the honored presence of women—without them, creation and its continuance cannot proceed, and dharma that protects beings from naraka is obstructed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is explicitly named in this verse; the teaching is doctrinal (sṛṣṭi and dharma) rather than a direct sthala-māhātmya passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific vrata, dāna, snāna, or japa is prescribed in this line; it states a principle about creation’s increase and protection from naraka.