Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

वेदान्तेषु च मां विप्रा गर्हसंयति पुनःपुनः । महाशनो महापाप्मा कामोऽयम नलो गहान्

Transliteration

vedānteṣu ca māṃ viprā garhasaṃyati punaḥpunaḥ | mahāśano mahāpāpmā kāmo'yama nalo gahān

Translation

แม้ในคัมภีร์เวทานตะ โอ้พราหมณ์ทั้งหลาย ท่านทั้งหลายก็ตำหนิข้าซ้ำแล้วซ้ำเล่า: ‘กามนี้เป็นผู้กลืนกินยิ่งใหญ่ เป็นบาปใหญ่—ดุจไฟที่เผาผลาญเรือนให้มอดไหม้’

Word by Word

• वेदान्तेषु: in the Vedāntas / in the Upaniṣadic conclusions
• वेदान्तेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; समासः—वेद + अन्त (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/निर्धारणार्थः)

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

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• विप्राः: brāhmaṇas, sages
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• गर्ह: censure, reproach
• गर्ह: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूप; (समासपूर्वपद/उपपद) ‘निन्दा’ अर्थे

• संयति: restrains / checks
• संयति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्गः—सम्; धातु—यत् (यतँ प्रयत्ने)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/आवृत्ति-अव्यय (adverb)

• पुनः: again (repeatedly)
• पुनः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/आवृत्ति-अव्यय (adverb); पुनरुक्ति—‘पुनःपुनः’ = repeatedly

• महाशनः: great devourer / voracious
• महाशनः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā + अशन्/अशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—महान् + अशनः (कर्मधारयः)

• महापाप्मा: greatly sinful
• महापाप्मा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā + पाप्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—महान् + पाप्मा (कर्मधारयः)

• कामः: desire, lust
• कामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• नलः: fire (as ‘Nala’)
• नलः: Apposition (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (अग्नि-विशेष/नल-नाम)

• गहान्: thickets, dense places
• गहान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

Speaker

Madana (Kāmadeva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative assembly where brāhmaṇas cite Vedānta and denounce Kāma; Kāma is visualized as a blazing fire consuming houses, symbolizing uncontrolled desire.

Characters & Entities

• Kāmadeva (Kāma)
• Vipras (brāhmaṇas)
• Vedānta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Unchecked desire is destructive like fire; spiritual wisdom repeatedly urges restraint and purification of intent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is doctrinal, referencing Vedānta rather than sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; the implied practice is self-control (saṃyama) over desire.