Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

पैशुन्य वक्ता च तथा द्वितीयानां प्रचालनात् । इति शापद्वयं प्राप्य द्विविधात्मजचालनात्

Transliteration

paiśunya vaktā ca tathā dvitīyānāṃ pracālanāt | iti śāpadvayaṃ prāpya dvividhātmajacālanāt

Translation

And further: “You will be one who speaks calumny,” because of stirring up others. Thus, having incurred a twofold curse for inciting two kinds of offspring, Nārada became bound to wander.

Word by Word

• पैशुन्य: slander/backbiting
• पैशुन्य: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पैशुन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘पैशुन्य’ = चुगली/दूषण-वचन

• वक्ता: a speaker/one who speaks
• वक्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-नाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (and)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (thus/also)

• द्वितीयानाम्: of others
• द्वितीयानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘द्वितीय’ = अन्य/दूसरे (others)

• प्रचालनात्: because of instigating
• प्रचालनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र + चल् (धातु)
• Form: क्तिन्/भाववाचक-प्रातिपदिक ‘प्रचालन’ (causing to move/instigation); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (from/because of)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (thus)

• शापद्वयम्: a pair of curses
• शापद्वयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाप (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (द्वौ शापौ)

• प्राप्य: having obtained
• प्राप्य: Kriya (Gerundial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund); धातुः आप् (to obtain)

• द्विविधात्मजचालनात्: because of stirring/setting in motion the two kinds of sons
• द्विविधात्मजचालनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विविध (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक) + चालन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः (द्विविधानाम् आत्मजानाम् चालनम्) हेत्वर्थ

Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa (continuing the curse account)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A second pronouncement of curse: Dakṣa’s words appear as two luminous bands (śāpa-dvaya) encircling Nārada; figures representing ‘two kinds of offspring’ stand in the background as symbolic groups in tension.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Nārada
• Dakṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Speech and social instigation are morally weighty; dharma warns against divisive talk and provoking discord.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; it is an ethical-causal explanation within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.