Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

वैष्णवान्धनिनो दृष्ट्वा क्षणं वैष्णववेषभृत् । शैवान्निंदति मूढात्मा नरकत्राणकारणम्

Transliteration

vaiṣṇavāndhanino dṛṣṭvā kṣaṇaṃ vaiṣṇavaveṣabhṛt | śaivānniṃdati mūḍhātmā narakatrāṇakāraṇam

Translation

धनी वैष्णवों को देखकर वह क्षणभर वैष्णव का वेष धर लेता; पर वही मूढ़ात्मा शैवों की निंदा करता—और नरक को ही मानो ‘उद्धार का साधन’ बना लेता।

Word by Word

• vaiṣṇavān: Vaiṣṇavas
• vaiṣṇavān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiṣṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचनम्

• dhaninaḥ: wealthy
• dhaninaḥ: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhanin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (vaiṣṇavān इति विशेष्यस्य)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Converb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (absolutive/gerund), ‘having seen’

• kṣaṇam: for a moment
• kṣaṇam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणत्वेन (accusative of duration)

• vaiṣṇava-veṣa-bhṛt: one who wears Vaiṣṇava attire
• vaiṣṇava-veṣa-bhṛt: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiṣṇava (प्रातिपदिक) + veṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhṛt (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः; ‘vaiṣṇavaṃ veṣaṃ bibharti’), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• śaivān: Śaivas
• śaivān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• nindati: reviles, censures
• nindati: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nind (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• mūḍha-ātmā: a deluded person (foolish-souled)
• mūḍha-ātmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūḍha (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (कर्मधारयः; ‘mūḍhaḥ ātmā yasya’), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• naraka-trāṇa-kāraṇam: a cause of deliverance from hell
• naraka-trāṇa-kāraṇam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Phala (Result notion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक) + trāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः; ‘narakāt trāṇasya kāraṇam’), नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; अत्र विधेय-विशेषणरूपेण (predicate/apposition)

Speaker

Devadeva (Śiva) continuing the narration

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A man quickly dons Vaiṣṇava attire upon seeing affluent Vaiṣṇavas, then turns aside to sneer at Śaivas; behind him, symbols of both traditions—tilaka, rudrākṣa, liṅga, śālagrāma—stand as silent witnesses.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiṣṇavas
• Śaivas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Religious hypocrisy and reviling devotees are spiritually destructive; outward marks cannot replace inner integrity and reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is directly named; the verse supports Kāśī’s dharma-teaching by condemning nindā within the kṣetra narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the instruction is ethical—avoid nindā (reviling) and sectarian hostility.