Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

तडागानां सहस्रेण अश्वमेधशतेन वा । गवां कोटिप्रदानेन भूमिहर्त्ता विशुध्यति

Transliteration

taḍāgānāṃ sahasreṇa aśvamedhaśatena vā | gavāṃ koṭipradānena bhūmiharttā viśudhyati

Translation

سارقُ الأرضِ لا يتطهّر إلا بفضلٍ يعادل إنشاءَ ألفِ بركةٍ، أو إقامةَ مئةِ قربانِ أشفاميدها، أو التصدّقَ بكروْرٍ من الأبقار.

Word by Word

• तडागानाम्: of ponds
• तडागानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तडाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• सहस्रेण: by a thousand
• सहस्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अश्वमेध: horse-sacrifice
• अश्वमेध: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व + मेध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अश्वस्य मेधः = horse-sacrifice) समासाङ्ग

• शतेन: by a hundred
• शतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/विकल्पार्थक particle; 'or')

• गवाम्: of cows
• गवाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• कोटि: a crore
• कोटि: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; समासाङ्ग (ten million)

• प्रदानेन: by giving
• प्रदानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक); दा (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• भूमिहर्त्ता: one who steals land
• भूमिहर्त्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि + हर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक); हृ (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भूमेः हर्ता = land-stealer)

• विशुध्यति: becomes purified
• विशुध्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; वि-उपसर्ग

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three symbolic paths of expiation shown as a triptych: (1) villagers digging and filling a large reservoir; (2) a royal aśvamedha arena with sacrificial posts; (3) a vast herd of cows being gifted with attendants and priests—looming over a small figure representing the land-thief seeking purification.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Land theft is portrayed as a grave sin, requiring extraordinary expiation—highlighting the sanctity of land-gifts and property rights under dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular site is named; the verse compares expiatory merits (taḍāga-making, Aśvamedha, go-dāna).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prāyaścitta is indicated via great acts: constructing many reservoirs, performing Aśvamedha sacrifices, or giving vast go-dāna.