Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

वाराणस्यां किल पुरा सिद्धयोगीश्वराः पुनः । अवमन्य च ते शक्तिं पुनर्भ्रंशमुपागताः

Transliteration

vārāṇasyāṃ kila purā siddhayogīśvarāḥ punaḥ | avamanya ca te śaktiṃ punarbhraṃśamupāgatāḥ

Translation

En vérité, jadis à Vārāṇasī, certains yogeśvara accomplis; mais, pour avoir offensé Śakti en la méprisant, retombèrent dans la déchéance.

Word by Word

• वाराणस्याम्: in Vārāṇasī
• वाराणस्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• किल: indeed, it is said
• किल: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अर्थे—खलु/इति प्रसिद्धौ (indeed/it is said)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• सिद्धयोगीश्वराः: the lords among siddha-yogins
• सिद्धयोगीश्वराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध + योगीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक); योगीश्वर = योगिन् + ईश्वर (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति/पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक-अव्यय (again)

• अवमन्य: having disrespected
• अवमन्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + मन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अवमन्-धातोः; अर्थे—अवज्ञाय (having disrespected)

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

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• शक्तिम्: the power (Śakti)
• शक्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक-अव्यय (again)

• भ्रंशम्: a fall, downfall
• भ्रंशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• उपागताः: came to, incurred
• उपागताः: Karta (Predicate participle/कर्तृसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अर्थे—प्राप्ताः (having reached/come to)

Speaker

Nārada (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of radiant siddha-yogins in Kāśī, seated near ghāṭs and liṅgas, display pride; a subtle darkening aura signals their spiritual ‘fall’ as Śakti’s grace withdraws.

Characters & Entities

• Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)
• Śakti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even advanced spiritual status cannot protect one who commits disrespect toward Śakti.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī/Kāśī is referenced as the location of a traditional exemplum (illustrative incident).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoid Śakti-nindā (denigration of Śakti); uphold reverence as a foundational discipline.