Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 128

Devanagari script

तमुवाच ततो व्याधः सर्पेणानेन पूरुष । धनधान्यादिकं लप्स्ये ग्रामेषु नगरेषु च

Transliteration

tamuvāca tato vyādhaḥ sarpeṇānena pūruṣa | dhanadhānyādikaṃ lapsye grāmeṣu nagareṣu ca

Translation

ثم قال الصيّاد للرجل: «بهذه الحيّة سأحصل على الثروة—من حبوبٍ ومالٍ وسائر المتاع—في القرى وفي المدن أيضًا».

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, अव्यय-प्रकारः: अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• व्याधः: the hunter
• व्याधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• सर्पेण: by/with the snake
• सर्पेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• अनेन: by this
• अनेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• पूरुष: O man
• पूरुष: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• धनधान्यादिकम्: wealth, grain, and the like
• धनधान्यादिकम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन + धान्य + आदिक (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः: द्वन्द्व (धन-धान्य) + ‘आदिक’ (etc.)-समाहारार्थ

• लप्स्ये: I will obtain
• लप्स्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• ग्रामेषु: in villages
• ग्रामेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन (Plural)

• नगरेषु: in towns/cities
• नगरेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

Speaker

Vyādha (hunter)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-kṣetra (Rāma-setu)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A hunter addresses a traveler, holding a captured serpent as a tool for profit; roadside setting with hints of coastal pilgrimage traffic.

Characters & Entities

• vyādha
• sarpa (nāga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It highlights adharma born of greed—treating a living being as a tool for profit—setting up the contrast with compassionate, dharmic conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader frame is the Setu Māhātmya (Rāmeśvaram/Setu region), though this verse itself is a moral episode within that sacred narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is purely narrative, describing intent for worldly gain.