Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

कितवो हि महापापो देवब्राह्मणनिंदकः । निकृत्या परयोपेतः परदाररतो महान्

Transliteration

kitavo hi mahāpāpo devabrāhmaṇaniṃdakaḥ | nikṛtyā parayopetaḥ paradārarato mahān

Translation

ആ ചൂതാട്ടക്കാരൻ തീർച്ചയായും മഹാപാപി—ദേവന്മാരെയും ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാരെയും നിന്ദിക്കുന്നവൻ, വഞ്ചനയിൽ മുങ്ങിയവൻ, പരസ്ത്രീയിൽ അത്യന്തം ആസക്തൻ.

Word by Word

• कितवः: a gambler/cheat
• कितवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कितव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (nominative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; हेत्वर्थक/निपातः (indeed/for)

• महापापः: greatly sinful
• महापापः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (nominative), एकवचनम् (singular); विशेषणम्

• देवब्राह्मणनिंदकः: reviler of gods and Brahmins
• देवब्राह्मणनिंदकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + ब्राह्मण + निन्दक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (nominative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• निकृत्या: by deceit/treachery
• निकृत्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निकृत्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम् (feminine), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (instrumental), एकवचनम् (singular)

• परया: extreme/great
• परया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम् (feminine), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (instrumental), एकवचनम् (singular); विशेषणम् (निकृत्या-विशेषणम्)

• उपेतः: endowed with/possessed of
• उपेतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-इ (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; उपसर्गः—उप

• परदाररतः: addicted to others' wives
• परदाररतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर + दार + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (nominative), एकवचनम् (singular); विशेषणम्

• महान्: great (in wickedness)
• महान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (nominative), एकवचनम् (singular); विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), speaking to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dissolute gambler, gaunt and restless, shown in shadowed tones—symbols of dice, furtive glances, and a courtesan’s doorway—contrasted with a distant luminous Kedāra shrine suggesting possible redemption.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma—slander of the divine and the righteous, deceit, and sexual misconduct—deepens bondage and suffering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The moral exemplum is situated in Kedārakhaṇḍa, supporting Kedāra’s dharmic message.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the verse characterizes the sinner to set up a reformative narrative.