Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

एवं वर्णा यथात्वेन मूढाहङ्कारमोहिताः । पतन्ति नरके घोरे यथान्धो गिरिगह्वरे

Transliteration

evaṃ varṇā yathātvena mūḍhāhaṅkāramohitāḥ | patanti narake ghore yathāndho girigahvare

Translation

وهكذا فإن أهل الفَرْنَة، على حقيقتهم، إذا خُدعوا بالأنا الحمقاء وسُحِروا بمجرّد المنزلة، سقطوا في جحيمٍ مروّع، كالأعمى يهوي في شِعْبٍ جبليّ.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• वर्णाः: people of the (social) classes; varṇas
• वर्णाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• यथात्वेन: according to their true nature/condition
• यथात्वेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यथात्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/भाव), एकवचन; भाववाचक (state/condition)

• मूढाहङ्कारमोहिताः: deluded, bewildered by egoism
• मूढाहङ्कारमोहिताः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ (कृदन्त, √मुह्) + अहङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक) + मोहित (कृदन्त, √मुह्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—अहङ्कारेण मोहिताः (instrumental sense) तथा मूढाः

• पतन्ति: fall
• पतन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• नरके: in hell
• नरके: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• घोरे: terrible
• घोरे: Adhikarana (Qualifier/अधिकरण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नरके इति विशेषणम्

• यथा: as, like
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• अन्धः: a blind man
• अन्धः: Karta (Subject in simile/उपमान-कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गिरिगह्वरे: in a mountain ravine/cave
• गिरिगह्वरे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + गह्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—गिरेः गह्वरम् (mountain-cave/cleft)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (continuing reply)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tirtha context

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira (explicitly addressed in adjacent verses; thematic continuity)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral allegory: proud figures adorned with symbols of rank walk heedlessly; their eyes clouded by ego, they step toward a dark ravine; behind them, a calm sage gestures in warning near a sacred riverbank.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mere identity or status, when joined to ego and delusion, becomes a cause of spiritual ruin; humility and right practice are essential.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; this is a moral conclusion using a vivid metaphor.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it warns against ego-driven living that ignores dharmic discipline.