Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

वैष्णवान्धनिनो दृष्ट्वा क्षणं वैष्णववेषभृत् । शैवान्निंदति मूढात्मा नरकत्राणकारणम्

Transliteration

vaiṣṇavāndhanino dṛṣṭvā kṣaṇaṃ vaiṣṇavaveṣabhṛt | śaivānniṃdati mūḍhātmā narakatrāṇakāraṇam

Translation

مالدار ویشنوؤں کو دیکھ کر وہ ایک لمحے کو ویشنو کا بھیس بنا لیتا؛ مگر وہ گمراہ نفس شیویوں کی بدگوئی کرتا—یوں جہنم ہی کو اپنے ‘نجات کے وسیلے’ سمجھ بیٹھتا۔

Word by Word

• vaiṣṇavān: Vaiṣṇavas
• vaiṣṇavān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiṣṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचनम्

• dhaninaḥ: wealthy
• dhaninaḥ: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhanin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (vaiṣṇavān इति विशेष्यस्य)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Converb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (absolutive/gerund), ‘having seen’

• kṣaṇam: for a moment
• kṣaṇam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणत्वेन (accusative of duration)

• vaiṣṇava-veṣa-bhṛt: one who wears Vaiṣṇava attire
• vaiṣṇava-veṣa-bhṛt: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiṣṇava (प्रातिपदिक) + veṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhṛt (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः; ‘vaiṣṇavaṃ veṣaṃ bibharti’), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• śaivān: Śaivas
• śaivān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• nindati: reviles, censures
• nindati: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nind (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• mūḍha-ātmā: a deluded person (foolish-souled)
• mūḍha-ātmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūḍha (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (कर्मधारयः; ‘mūḍhaḥ ātmā yasya’), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• naraka-trāṇa-kāraṇam: a cause of deliverance from hell
• naraka-trāṇa-kāraṇam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Phala (Result notion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक) + trāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः; ‘narakāt trāṇasya kāraṇam’), नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; अत्र विधेय-विशेषणरूपेण (predicate/apposition)

Speaker

Devadeva (Śiva) continuing the narration

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A man quickly dons Vaiṣṇava attire upon seeing affluent Vaiṣṇavas, then turns aside to sneer at Śaivas; behind him, symbols of both traditions—tilaka, rudrākṣa, liṅga, śālagrāma—stand as silent witnesses.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiṣṇavas
• Śaivas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Religious hypocrisy and reviling devotees are spiritually destructive; outward marks cannot replace inner integrity and reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is directly named; the verse supports Kāśī’s dharma-teaching by condemning nindā within the kṣetra narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the instruction is ethical—avoid nindā (reviling) and sectarian hostility.