Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

शिवाचारं न मन्यंते शिवभक्तान्द्विषंति षट् । गुरुमार्त्तमशक्तं वा विदेशप्रस्थितं तथा

Transliteration

śivācāraṃ na manyaṃte śivabhaktāndviṣaṃti ṣaṭ | gurumārttamaśaktaṃ vā videśaprasthitaṃ tathā

Translation

ଯେମାନେ ଶିବାଚାରକୁ ମାନନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ ଓ ଶିବଭକ୍ତମାନଙ୍କୁ ଦ୍ୱେଷ କରନ୍ତି—ଏପରି ଛଅ (ଦୋଷ) ଅଛି; ଯଥା ଗୁରୁ ଆର୍ତ୍ତ ଥିଲେ, ଅଶକ୍ତ ଥିଲେ, କିମ୍ବା ବିଦେଶକୁ ପ୍ରସ୍ଥିତ ହେଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ତାଙ୍କୁ ପରିତ୍ୟାଗ କରିଦେବା।

Word by Word

• śiva-ācāram: Śiva’s conduct/discipline
• śiva-ācāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva + ācāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (acc. sg.); शिवाचार = शिवस्य आचारः

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• manyante: consider; accept
• manyante: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• śiva-bhaktān: devotees of Śiva
• śiva-bhaktān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva + bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (acc. pl.); शिवभक्त = शिवस्य भक्तः

• dviṣanti: hate
• dviṣanti: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dviṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ṣaṭ: six (types)
• ṣaṭ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याशब्दः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनार्थे (six persons/things implied)

• gurum: the guru
• gurum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (acc. sg.)

• ārttam: afflicted; distressed
• ārttam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• aśaktam: incapable; weak
• aśaktam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aśakta (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• videśa-prasthitam: gone to a foreign place
• videśa-prasthitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: videśa + prasthita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रस्थित (kta from pra√sthā) = गत/प्रस्थित; विदेशप्रस्थित = विदेशं प्रस्थित

• tathā: likewise; also
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तथाऽपि/तथा (adverb: likewise/also)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Śaiva community scene: devotees serving an ailing or distressed guru; contrasted with hostile figures rejecting Śivācāra and disparaging devotees, symbolizing the ‘six’ offenders.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Śivabhakta
• Guru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rejecting Śaiva conduct and harboring hatred toward Śiva’s devotees is a grave fault, especially when it expresses itself as abandonment of the Guru in hardship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is mentioned; the verse is ethical and community-focused within Śaiva dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the instruction is moral: do not despise Śiva’s devotees and do not forsake the Guru in distress or weakness.