Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

दुःशीलोऽपि समादाय मात्रां स्थानांतरं गतः । ततस्तेन सुवर्णेन व्यवहारान्करोति सः

Transliteration

duḥśīlo'pi samādāya mātrāṃ sthānāṃtaraṃ gataḥ | tatastena suvarṇena vyavahārānkaroti saḥ

Translation

সেই দুশ্চরিত্র লোকটিও সেই অর্থ নিয়ে অন্য স্থানে গেল; তারপর সেই সোনায় সে লেনদেন ও বাণিজ্য করতে লাগল।

Word by Word

• दुःशीलः: ill-natured
• दुःशीलः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥ-śīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'दुष्टं शीलं यस्य' (ill-natured)

• अपि: even/although
• अपि: Sambandha (Concessive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपवादार्थक-अव्यय (even/although)

• समादाय: having taken
• समादाय: Kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु) + सम्-आ-; क्त्वा (absolutive)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त: 'having taken/appropriated'

• मात्राम्: the amount (of gold)
• मात्राम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (here: a measure/amount, i.e., the gold amount)

• स्थान-अन्तरम्: to another place
• स्थान-अन्तरम्: Karma (Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'स्थानस्य अन्तरम्' = अन्यत् स्थानम् (another place)

• गतः: went
• गतः: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु) + क्त (भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियार्थे 'went'

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (then)

• तेन: with that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• सुवर्णेन: with gold
• सुवर्णेन: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suvarṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• व्यवहारान्: transactions
• व्यवहारान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyavahāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; 'व्यवहार' = transactions/dealings

• करोति: does/makes
• करोति: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A furtive man travels to a new city, clutching a pouch of gold; later he sits at a merchant’s stall weighing coins, ledgers open, while a shadow of guilt hangs over him.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ill-gotten wealth is shown fueling worldly activity, setting up karmic and dharmic repercussions typical of Purāṇic teaching.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding chapter belongs to Jāgeśvara tīrtha-māhātmya, though this verse narrates the thief’s actions.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.