Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

उत्तमाधममध्यत्वममीषां वर्णयंति ये । असत्यवादिनः पापास्ते यांति निरयं ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

uttamādhamamadhyatvamamīṣāṃ varṇayaṃti ye | asatyavādinaḥ pāpāste yāṃti nirayaṃ dhruvam

Translation

Kẻ nào đem các bậc thiêng liêng ấy mà nói là ‘tối thượng, hạ liệt hay trung bình’—những kẻ tội lỗi nói dối ấy—ắt hẳn sa vào địa ngục.

Word by Word

• uttama-adhama-madhyatvam: the state of being superior, inferior, or middling
• uttama-adhama-madhyatvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक) + adhama (प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (प्रातिपदिक) + -tva (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (-त्व) भाववाचक; समासः—तत्पुरुष (उत्तमत्व-अधमत्व-मध्यत्व इति भावसमाहारः)

• amīṣām: of these (people)
• amīṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• varṇayanti: they describe / proclaim
• varṇayanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √varṇ (वर्ण्)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ye: who (those who)
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्-सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• asatya-vādinaḥ: speakers of falsehood
• asatya-vādinaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-satya (प्रातिपदिक) + vādin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (असत्यं वदन्ति इति)

• pāpāḥ: sinful ones
• pāpāḥ: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• yānti: go
• yānti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (या)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• nirayam: to hell
• nirayam: Gati-Karma (Destination/गत्यर्थकर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• dhruvam: certainly
• dhruvam: Kriya-Viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निश्चयार्थे/नूनम्-इत्यर्थे)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deductive, Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Naimiṣāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājendra (best of kings) is implied in the surrounding dialogue frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In the sacred forest of Naimiṣa, austere sages admonish a disputant: do not label the gods as high/low; the atmosphere is stern, didactic, and judicial.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Do not promote divisive, false rankings of revered divine powers; sectarian slander is treated as a grave ethical fault.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse focuses on dharma regarding speech and reverence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a moral injunction (niṣedha) against false, sinful speech.