Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

ये पापिनो ह्यधर्मिष्ठा लोकसंहारकारकाः । पाषंडवादसंयुक्ता वध्यास्ते मम चैव हि । वाक्यं निशम्य रुद्रस्य श्वेतो वचनमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

ye pāpino hyadharmiṣṭhā lokasaṃhārakārakāḥ | pāṣaṃḍavādasaṃyuktā vadhyāste mama caiva hi | vākyaṃ niśamya rudrasya śveto vacanamabravīt

Translation

Jene, die sündig sind, am meisten vom Dharma abweichen und den Untergang der Welt bewirken—verbunden mit häretischen und trügerischen Lehren—sind wahrlich von mir zu töten. Als Śveta Rudras Worte vernommen hatte, erwiderte er.

Word by Word

• ye: who / those who
• ye: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural

• pāpinaḥ: sinners
• pāpinaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpin (पापिन्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural

• hi: indeed / for
• hi: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (हि)
• Form: Particle (Emphasis/Reason)

• adharmiṣṭhāḥ: very unrighteous
• adharmiṣṭhāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adharmiṣṭha (अधर्मिष्ठ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural

• lokasaṃhārakārakāḥ: causers of world destruction
• lokasaṃhārakārakāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka-saṃhāra-kāraka (लोक-संहार-कारक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural

• pāṣaṃḍavādasaṃyuktāḥ: associated with heretical arguments
• pāṣaṃḍavādasaṃyuktāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāṣaṃḍa-vāda-saṃyukta (पाषंड-वाद-संयुक्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural

• vadhyāḥ: to be killed / deserving death
• vadhyāḥ: Karma (Object - in passive sense)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vadhya (वध्य)
• Form: Gerundive (Kritya Pratyaya), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural

• mama: by me / my
• mama: Karta (Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद्)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular (Used as Agent with Gerundive)

• ca: and
• ca: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च)
• Form: Conjunction

• eva: only / surely
• eva: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (एव)
• Form: Particle (Emphasis)

• hi: indeed
• hi: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (हि)
• Form: Particle

• vākyam: sentence / speech
• vākyam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (वाक्य)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular

• niśamya: having heard
• niśamya: null
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni + śam (नि + शम्)
• Form: Lyap Pratyaya (Indeclinable Participle)

• rudrasya: of Rudra
• rudrasya: Sambandha (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (रुद्र)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular

• śvetaḥ: Shveta (the sage)
• śvetaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śveta (श्वेत)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• vacanam: words / speech
• vacanam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (वचन)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular

• abravīt: spoke
• abravīt: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (ब्रू)
• Form: Lang Lakara (Imperfect Past), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa tradition) with embedded speech attributed to Rudra, followed by Śveta’s response

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rudra speaks sternly, declaring the slaying-worthy nature of world-destroying sinners allied with heretical doctrines; Śveta listens and prepares a measured reply.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Śiva)
• Śveta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma condemns actions and ideologies that harm society; divine and righteous authority restrains world-destroying adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra/Kedārakṣetra, within the Kedārakhaṇḍa narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the focus is ethical and doctrinal—rejecting adharma that causes social ruin.