Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

अपवादं गुरोर्वक्तुर्निंदाकर्तुः सुपर्वणाम् । तप्तलोहशलाकाश्च मुखे भीषण निक्षिप

Transliteration

apavādaṃ gurorvakturniṃdākartuḥ suparvaṇām | taptalohaśalākāśca mukhe bhīṣaṇa nikṣipa

Translation

Dans la bouche de celui qui calomnie le Gourou et blâme les vertueux, enfoncez des pointes de fer rougeoyantes et terrifiantes.

Word by Word

• अपवादम्: slander/false charge
• अपवादम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपवाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• गुरोः: of the teacher
• गुरोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• वक्तुः: of the speaker
• वक्तुः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• निन्दाकर्तुः: of the reviler
• निन्दाकर्तुः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निन्दा (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: निन्दां करोति इति (one who does blame)

• सुपर्वणाम्: of the noble/holy ones (lit. good-jointed)
• सुपर्वणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/प्रादि) + पर्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (पर्वन्), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; ‘सु’ उपसर्गार्थे ‘उत्तम/शुभ’ (excellent)

• तप्तलोहशलाकाः: heated iron spikes
• तप्तलोहशलाकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तप्त (कृदन्त; तप्√ + क्त) + लोह (प्रातिपदिक) + शलाका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: तप्ताः लोह-शलाकाः (heated iron spikes/rods)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• मुखे: in the mouth
• मुखे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• भीषण: O terrible one
• भीषण: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोग

• निक्षिप: throw/place
• निक्षिप: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sinner’s mouth is forced open by attendants; glowing iron spikes are inserted, symbolizing punishment for harmful speech against guru and the virtuous.

Characters & Entities

• Guru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Speech is karmically potent; slandering one’s guru and vilifying the virtuous is condemned as grave adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching sacred setting of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, though the verse itself is a dharma-warning rather than a tīrtha-praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse functions as a deterrent by describing retribution for abusive speech.