Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

एवं वर्णा यथात्वेन मूढाहङ्कारमोहिताः । पतन्ति नरके घोरे यथान्धो गिरिगह्वरे

Transliteration

evaṃ varṇā yathātvena mūḍhāhaṅkāramohitāḥ | patanti narake ghore yathāndho girigahvare

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ മൂഢ അഹങ്കാരമോഹിതരായി വെറും വർണാഭിമാനത്തിൽ കുടുങ്ങിയവർ, അന്ധൻ മലഗഹ്വരത്തിലേക്ക് വീഴുന്നതുപോലെ ഭയങ്കര നരകത്തിൽ പതിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• वर्णाः: people of the (social) classes; varṇas
• वर्णाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• यथात्वेन: according to their true nature/condition
• यथात्वेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यथात्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/भाव), एकवचन; भाववाचक (state/condition)

• मूढाहङ्कारमोहिताः: deluded, bewildered by egoism
• मूढाहङ्कारमोहिताः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ (कृदन्त, √मुह्) + अहङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक) + मोहित (कृदन्त, √मुह्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—अहङ्कारेण मोहिताः (instrumental sense) तथा मूढाः

• पतन्ति: fall
• पतन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• नरके: in hell
• नरके: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• घोरे: terrible
• घोरे: Adhikarana (Qualifier/अधिकरण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नरके इति विशेषणम्

• यथा: as, like
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• अन्धः: a blind man
• अन्धः: Karta (Subject in simile/उपमान-कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गिरिगह्वरे: in a mountain ravine/cave
• गिरिगह्वरे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + गह्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—गिरेः गह्वरम् (mountain-cave/cleft)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (continuing reply)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tirtha context

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira (explicitly addressed in adjacent verses; thematic continuity)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral allegory: proud figures adorned with symbols of rank walk heedlessly; their eyes clouded by ego, they step toward a dark ravine; behind them, a calm sage gestures in warning near a sacred riverbank.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mere identity or status, when joined to ego and delusion, becomes a cause of spiritual ruin; humility and right practice are essential.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; this is a moral conclusion using a vivid metaphor.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it warns against ego-driven living that ignores dharmic discipline.