Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

द्वारकावासिनां निंदा महापापाधिका ध्रुवम् । न निवर्तेत तत्पापं सा ज्ञेया परमेश्वरी

Transliteration

dvārakāvāsināṃ niṃdā mahāpāpādhikā dhruvam | na nivarteta tatpāpaṃ sā jñeyā parameśvarī

Translation

ദ്വാരകാവാസികളുടെ നിന്ദ നിശ്ചയമായും മഹാപാപങ്ങളെക്കാൾ അധികം; ആ പാപം എളുപ്പത്തിൽ മാറുകയില്ല—അതിന്റെ ഫലശക്തി പരമേശ്വരിയോളം പ്രബലമെന്ന് അറിയുക.

Word by Word

• द्वारकावासिनाम्: of the residents of Dvārakā
• द्वारकावासिनाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारका + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (द्वारकायां वासिनः)

• निन्दा: censure
• निन्दा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निन्दा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महापापाधिका: greater than a great sin
• महापापाधिका: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महापाप + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (महापापात् अधिका)

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (adverbial accusative use)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• निवर्तेत: would cease/turn back
• निवर्तेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सा: she/that (one)
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ज्ञेया: is to be known
• ज्ञेया: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + ज्ञेय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत्/अनीयर्-अर्थे कृदन्त (Gerundive/Passive necessity), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• परमेश्वरी: the Supreme Goddess
• परमेश्वरी: Samanaadhikarana (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (परमा ईश्वरी)

Speaker

Jayanta (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A declarative, inscription-like moral edict: ‘Nindā of Dvārakā-vāsins is worse than great sins; it does not readily cease.’ The scene can be rendered as Jayanta proclaiming a law before the city/temple.

Characters & Entities

• Dwārakā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Defaming devotees—especially those connected with a sacred kṣetra—is a grave aparādha with enduring karmic results.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dwārakā, whose residents are treated as worthy of reverence due to the sanctity of the kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse lays down a dharmic prohibition against slander.