Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

गुरूणामवमंता यचो महाज्वाले निपात्यते । लवणं शास्त्रहंता च निर्मर्यादो विमोहके

Transliteration

gurūṇāmavamaṃtā yaco mahājvāle nipātyate | lavaṇaṃ śāstrahaṃtā ca nirmaryādo vimohake

Translation

مَن أهانَ الغورو (المعلّمين) أُلقي في «Mahājvāla». ومُخرِّبُ الشاسترا (الكتب المقدّسة) يذهب إلى «Lavaṇa»؛ وأمّا من لا حدّ له ولا نظام، فيسقط في «Vimohaka».

Word by Word

• गुरूणाम्: of the teachers
• गुरूणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• अवमंता: a despiser/insulter
• अवमंता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव + मन् (धातु) → अवमन्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक (agent noun)

• यचो: fame (reputation)
• यचो: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यचस्/यशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; (पाठभेद) ‘यशो’ इत्यर्थे

• महाज्वाले: in the great flame (hell)
• महाज्वाले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + ज्वाला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महती ज्वाला)

• निपात्यते: is cast down
• निपात्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• लवणम्: (to) Lavaṇa (a hell)
• लवणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; गन्तव्य-स्थान/नरक-नाम

• शास्त्रहंता: destroyer of scriptures
• शास्त्रहंता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र + हन्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शास्त्रस्य हन्ता)

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

• निर्मर्यादः: one without restraint
• निर्मर्यादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + मर्यादा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य मर्यादा नास्ति)

• विमोहके: in Vimohaka (a hell)
• विमोहके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमोहक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; नरक-नाम/स्थाननिर्देश

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative convention)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/seekers

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three punishments visualized: Mahājvāla as a towering inferno swallowing a guru-insulter; Lavaṇa as a blinding salt-desert/caustic brine tormenting a scripture-destroyer; Vimohaka as a foggy labyrinth of delusion where the lawless wander without direction, chased by yamadūtas.

Characters & Entities

• Guru
• Śāstra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence for gurus and fidelity to śāstra uphold dharma; contempt and sabotage of these foundations lead to downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the passage is ethical instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it names offenses and corresponding narakas.