Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

वात रोगी कुवैद्यः स्याद्दुश्चर्मा गुरुतल्पगः । मधुमेही खरीगामी गोत्रस्त्रीमैथुनोऽप्रसूः

Transliteration

vāta rogī kuvaidyaḥ syādduścarmā gurutalpagaḥ | madhumehī kharīgāmī gotrastrīmaithuno'prasūḥ

Translation

Wer vom Vāta (vāta) geplagt ist, wird zum Kurpfuscher. Wer das Lager des Lehrers entweiht, wird mit kranker Haut geboren. Wer sich mit einer Eselin einlässt, wird zuckerkrank. Und wer mit einer Frau aus der eigenen Sippe verkehrt, bleibt ohne Nachkommen — so, heißt es, zeigen sich die äußeren Zeichen der Sünde.

Word by Word

• vāta-rogī: one suffering from wind-disorder
• vāta-rogī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāta (प्रातिपदिक) + rogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वातरोगः यस्य)

• kuvaidyaḥ: a bad physician/quack
• kuvaidyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ku (उपसर्ग/निपात-प्रातिपदिक) + vaidya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (कुवैद्यः=दुष्टः वैद्यः)

• syāt: would be
• syāt: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• duś-carmā: one with diseased/bad skin
• duś-carmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dus (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + carman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (दुष्टं चर्म यस्य)

• guru-talpa-gaḥ: one who violates the teacher's bed (grave sinner)
• guru-talpa-gaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक) + talpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ga (प्रातिपदिक; √gam/गम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गुरोः तल्पं गच्छति इति/गुरुतल्पगः)

• madhumehī: a diabetic
• madhumehī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhu (प्रातिपदिक) + mehin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मधुमेहः यस्य)

• kharī-gāmī: one who goes to a she-donkey (bestiality)
• kharī-gāmī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kharī (प्रातिपदिक) + gāmin (प्रातिपदिक; √gam/गम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (खरीं गच्छति/खरीगामी)

• gotra-strī-maithunaḥ: one who has intercourse with a woman of the same clan
• gotra-strī-maithunaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gotra (प्रातिपदिक) + strī (प्रातिपदिक) + maithuna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गोत्रस्त्रिया सह मैथुनं यस्य)

• aprasūḥ: childless
• aprasūḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-prasū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-समासार्थक (one without offspring/issue)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), by section-context (Māheśvarakhaṇḍa discourse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau with a guru seated in dignity; shadowy vignettes depict taboo acts (kept symbolic/veiled rather than explicit), followed by afflicted figures: diseased skin, diabetic weakness, and childlessness represented by an empty cradle; a quack physician scene illustrates ‘kūvaidya’.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Serious adharma—especially sexual transgression and betrayal of sacred bonds—ripens into visible suffering and misfortune, urging restraint and dharmic conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as a general dharma-śikṣā (moral instruction) within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed here; the emphasis is on avoiding pāpa (sinful acts) to prevent karmic consequences.