Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

परनिन्दा महापापं परनिन्दा महाभयम् । परनिन्दा महद्दुःखं न तस्यां पातकं परम्

Transliteration

paranindā mahāpāpaṃ paranindā mahābhayam | paranindā mahadduḥkhaṃ na tasyāṃ pātakaṃ param

Translation

การนินทาผู้อื่นเป็นมหาบาป การนินทาผู้อื่นเป็นมหาภัย การนินทาผู้อื่นเป็นมหาทุกข์—ไม่มีความผิดใดเกินกว่านั้น

Word by Word

• परनिन्दा: slandering others
• परनिन्दा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर-निन्दा (प्रातिपदिक; पर + निन्दा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (परस्य निन्दा)

• महापापम्: a great sin
• महापापम्: Karma/Predicate complement (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महापाप (प्रातिपदिक; महा + पाप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् पापम्)

• परनिन्दा: slandering others
• परनिन्दा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर-निन्दा (प्रातिपदिक; पर + निन्दा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• महाभयम्: great fear
• महाभयम्: Karma/Predicate complement (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभय (प्रातिपदिक; महा + भय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् भयम्)

• परनिन्दा: slandering others
• परनिन्दा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर-निन्दा (प्रातिपदिक; पर + निन्दा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• महत्-दुःखम्: great sorrow
• महत्-दुःखम्: Karma/Predicate complement (कर्म/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् दुःखम्); पदच्छेदः: महत् + दुःखम्

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• तस्याम्: in that (i.e., in slander)
• तस्याम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पातकम्: sin, offense
• पातकम्: Karta/Predicate complement (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• परम्: greater, higher
• परम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya didactic narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dark cloud labeled ‘para-nindā’ casts fear and sorrow over a community; a devotee turns away, choosing silence and prayer, while light returns around the shrine.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Harmful speech is spiritually destructive; avoiding slander is a foundational dharmic practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse teaches universal dharma applicable to all pilgrims and householders.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A strict vow of speech-restraint: do not indulge in paranindā.