Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

अर्थनाशं पुत्रनाशं स्थाननाशं महा भयम् । कुरुते वायुपुत्रो हि रामवाक्यमनुस्मरन्

Transliteration

arthanāśaṃ putranāśaṃ sthānanāśaṃ mahā bhayam | kurute vāyuputro hi rāmavākyamanusmaran

Translation

Vāyus Sohn bewirkt Verlust von Reichtum, Verlust der Kinder, Verlust der Stellung und große Furcht, indem er Rāmas Gebot im Sinn behält.

Word by Word

• अर्थनाशम्: loss of wealth
• अर्थनाशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अर्थस्य नाशः)

• पुत्रनाशम्: loss of a son
• पुत्रनाशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पुत्रस्य नाशः)

• स्थाननाशम्: loss of position/place
• स्थाननाशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक) + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्थानस्य नाशः)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying भयम्)

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• कुरुते: brings about / causes
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• वायुपुत्रः: Vāyu's son (Hanumān)
• वायुपुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वायोः पुत्रः)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (indeed)

• रामवाक्यम्: Rāma's words
• रामवाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक) + वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रामस्य वाक्यम्)

• अनुस्मरन्: remembering
• अनुस्मरन्: Karta (Agent participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु-√स्मृ (धातु) → अनुस्मरन्त् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले (present active participle), क्रियाविशेषणभावे (while remembering)

Speaker

Deductive attribution: a Purāṇic narrator/instructor within Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa (speaker not explicit in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hanumān stands alert, eyes fixed, as if recalling Rāma’s words; behind him a radiant, unseen presence of Rāma (symbolic bow or footprint). In the foreground: a fallen official’s insignia (sthāna-nāśa), scattered wealth, a family in distress, and a looming shadow of fear.

Characters & Entities

• Vāyuputra (Hanumān)
• Rāma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine agents protect dharma; when injustice prevails, consequences manifest as loss of prosperity, lineage, and social standing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse stresses dharma-protection connected to Rāma and Hanumān.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the implied discipline is adherence to righteous conduct aligned with Rāma’s dharmic command.