Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

पैशुन्या रसविक्रेयाः सर्वकालविनाकृताः । स्वगोत्रां परगोत्रां वा ये भुञ्जन्ति द्विजाधमाः

Transliteration

paiśunyā rasavikreyāḥ sarvakālavinākṛtāḥ | svagotrāṃ paragotrāṃ vā ye bhuñjanti dvijādhamāḥ

Translation

ผู้ส่อเสียดนินทา ผู้ค้าความสำราญและของโอชะ ผู้หมกมุ่นในอกุศลกรรมทุกกาล และพราหมณ์ชั้นต่ำผู้เสพสตรีในโคตรเดียวกันหรือโคตรอื่น—(ล้วนถูกรวมไว้)

Word by Word

• पैशुन्याः: slanderers/backbiters
• पैशुन्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पैशुन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (अथवा विशेषणरूपेण)

• रसविक्रेयाः: sellers of intoxicants/‘rasa’ (liquor/essence)
• रसविक्रेयाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रस + विक्रेय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वि+क्री धातु, यत्/अनीय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (रसः विक्रेयः)

• सर्वकालविनाकृताः: to be avoided at all times
• सर्वकालविनाकृताः: Predicate/विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + काल + विनाकृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वि+नॄ/कृ? ‘विना-कृत’ = वर्जित/त्यक्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वकाले विना-कृताः = सर्वदा वर्जिताः/बहिष्कृताः)

• स्वगोत्राम्: (a woman) of one’s own gotra
• स्वगोत्राम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + गोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (स्वं गोत्रम्)

• परगोत्राम्: (a woman) of another gotra
• परगोत्राम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर + गोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (परं गोत्रम्)

• वा: or
• वा: Connector/विकल्प
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• भुञ्जन्ति: enjoy/consume (sexually partake)
• भुञ्जन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• द्विजाधमाः: base/lowest among Brahmins
• द्विजाधमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (द्विजेषु अधमाः)

Speaker

Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā), inferred

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (general)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: sages/pilgrims

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A whispering slander circle, a vendor enticing with indulgent delicacies, a figure repeatedly committing wrongs across day and night, and a transgressive liaison—set against the purifying riverbank where a penitent stands apart.

Characters & Entities

• Dvija
• Gotra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse condemns corrosive speech and persistent wrongdoing, warning that social and sexual misconduct degrade spiritual standing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā tīrtha sphere (Narmadā) is the implied sacred refuge in this chapter’s mahātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the focus is on prohibitions and ethical boundaries.