Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

गुरूणामवमंता यचो महाज्वाले निपात्यते । लवणं शास्त्रहंता च निर्मर्यादो विमोहके

Transliteration

gurūṇāmavamaṃtā yaco mahājvāle nipātyate | lavaṇaṃ śāstrahaṃtā ca nirmaryādo vimohake

Translation

ഗുരുക്കന്മാരെ അവമാനിക്കുന്നവൻ ‘മഹാജ്വാല’ നരകത്തിൽ നിക്ഷിപ്തനാകും. ശാസ്ത്രം നശിപ്പിക്കുന്നവൻ ‘ലവണ’ നരകത്തിലേക്ക് പോകുന്നു; മർയ്യാദയില്ലാത്ത അധർമ്മി ‘വിമോഹക’ നരകത്തിൽ പതിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• गुरूणाम्: of the teachers
• गुरूणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• अवमंता: a despiser/insulter
• अवमंता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव + मन् (धातु) → अवमन्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक (agent noun)

• यचो: fame (reputation)
• यचो: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यचस्/यशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; (पाठभेद) ‘यशो’ इत्यर्थे

• महाज्वाले: in the great flame (hell)
• महाज्वाले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + ज्वाला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महती ज्वाला)

• निपात्यते: is cast down
• निपात्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• लवणम्: (to) Lavaṇa (a hell)
• लवणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; गन्तव्य-स्थान/नरक-नाम

• शास्त्रहंता: destroyer of scriptures
• शास्त्रहंता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र + हन्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शास्त्रस्य हन्ता)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• निर्मर्यादः: one without restraint
• निर्मर्यादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + मर्यादा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य मर्यादा नास्ति)

• विमोहके: in Vimohaka (a hell)
• विमोहके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमोहक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; नरक-नाम/स्थाननिर्देश

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative convention)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/seekers

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three punishments visualized: Mahājvāla as a towering inferno swallowing a guru-insulter; Lavaṇa as a blinding salt-desert/caustic brine tormenting a scripture-destroyer; Vimohaka as a foggy labyrinth of delusion where the lawless wander without direction, chased by yamadūtas.

Characters & Entities

• Guru
• Śāstra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence for gurus and fidelity to śāstra uphold dharma; contempt and sabotage of these foundations lead to downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the passage is ethical instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it names offenses and corresponding narakas.