Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

महापापप्रयोगाच्च पापमारभते सदा । कितवश्च सुरापायी स्तेयी च गुरुतल्पगः

Transliteration

mahāpāpaprayogācca pāpamārabhate sadā | kitavaśca surāpāyī steyī ca gurutalpagaḥ

Translation

Livré à de grands péchés, il s’adonnait sans cesse au mal. Il était joueur, buveur d’alcool, voleur, et même profanateur du lit du maître—une faute des plus lourdes.

Word by Word

• महापापप्रयोगात्: from the practice of great sin
• महापापप्रयोगात्: अपादान (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-पाप-प्रयोग (प्रातिपदिक-समाहार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (Ablative/5th), एकवचनम्; समासः (महच्च तत् पापं) + प्रयोगः

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्

• आरभते: undertakes / begins
• आरभते: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• सदा: always
• सदा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of time)

• कितवः: a gambler/cheat
• कितवः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कितव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विधेय-नाम

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• सुरापायी: a drinker of liquor
• सुरापायी: कर्ता (Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरा-पायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः (सुरां पिबति इति)

• स्तेयी: a thief
• स्तेयी: कर्ता (Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तेयिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तद्धितान्त/प्रातिपदिक

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• गुरुतल्पगः: one who violates the teacher’s bed (grave offender)
• गुरुतल्पगः: कर्ता (Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु-तल्प-ग (प्रातिपदिक-समाहार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः (गुरोः तल्पं गच्छति इति)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sequence-like depiction of vices: dice, liquor vessel, stolen goods, and a shadowed transgression—shown symbolically rather than explicitly—forming a moral tableau.

Characters & Entities

• Guru (as a dharmic reference)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Habitual engagement in major sins deepens bondage, setting the stage for the Purāṇa’s message of divine grace and reform.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra’s Śiva-centered sacred landscape is the contextual frame for the coming redemption.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse lists grave misdeeds to magnify the later merit of Śivarātri observance.