Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

महांति पातकान्याहुर्निरंतरफलानि षट् । नाभिनंदंति ये दृष्ट्वा शंकरं न स्तुवंति ये

Transliteration

mahāṃti pātakānyāhurniraṃtaraphalāni ṣaṭ | nābhinaṃdaṃti ye dṛṣṭvā śaṃkaraṃ na stuvaṃti ye

Translation

They declare six great sins whose fruits are unbroken. Among them are those who, on seeing Śaṅkara, do not rejoice, and those who do not praise him.

Word by Word

• mahānti: great
• mahānti: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (neut. nom./acc. pl.)

• pātakāni: sins
• pātakāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (neut. nom./acc. pl.)

• āhuḥ: they say
• āhuḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• niraṃtara-phalāni: having uninterrupted results
• niraṃtara-phalāni: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niraṃtara + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; निरन्तरफल = निरन्तरं फलम् यस्य (descriptive)

• ṣaṭ: six
• ṣaṭ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याशब्दः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनार्थे (indeclinable-like numeral usage)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• abhinandanti: rejoice; welcome
• abhinandanti: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi√nand (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ye: those who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (nom. pl.)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रियाविशेष)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) + ktvā (कृत्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• śaṃkaram: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• śaṃkaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (acc. sg.)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• stuvanti: praise
• stuvanti: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √stu (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ye: those who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (nom. pl.)

Speaker

Mahākāla

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim approaches a Śiva shrine; some devotees rejoice and sing hymns, while others stand indifferent—an invisible karmic ledger motif indicates ‘unbroken fruits’.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara
• Mahākāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Lack of reverence toward Śiva—failing to rejoice or offer praise—is framed as a serious offence with enduring karmic effects.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse; it emphasizes devotional response to Śaṅkara rather than a location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praise (stuti) and joyful reverence on beholding Śaṅkara are implied as proper devotional conduct.