Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

अपत्यविक्रयात्कल्पं वसेद्विट्कृमिभोजने । अतो नाण्वपि कन्याया उपजीव्यं नरैर्धनम्

Transliteration

apatyavikrayātkalpaṃ vasedviṭkṛmibhojane | ato nāṇvapi kanyāyā upajīvyaṃ narairdhanam

Translation

Wer seine Nachkommenschaft verkauft, würde ein ganzes Kalpa in der Sphäre wohnen, wo Würmer Unrat fressen. Darum sollen Menschen nicht einmal vom geringsten Besitz leben, der als „Preis“ für eine Tochter erlangt wurde.

Word by Word

• अपत्य: offspring/child
• अपत्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषे पूर्वपदम् (dependent member)

• विक्रयात्: from the sale (of offspring)
• विक्रयात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विक्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; 'अपत्य-विक्रयात्' = अपत्यस्य विक्रयात्

• कल्पम्: for a kalpa (aeon)
• कल्पम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कालपरिमाणवाचक

• वसेत्: should dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• विट्: in excrement
• विट्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपदम्

• कृमि: worms
• कृमि: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषे पूर्वपदम्

• भोजने: in the feeding-place (of worms)
• भोजने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; 'विट्-कृमि-भोजने' = विट्-स्थे कृमिभिः भोजने (worms’ feeding-place)

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; हेत्वर्थक-अव्यय (therefore/from this)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• अणु: even a little
• अणु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपात (particle)

• कन्यायाः: of a maiden/daughter
• कन्यायाः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• उपजीव्यम्: to be lived on/used for livelihood
• उपजीव्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + जीव् (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: भाव्य/योग्यतार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'उपजीव्यं धनम्' इति विशेषणम्

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (deduced, Brāhma Khaṇḍa dharma-narration context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vitkṛmi-bhojana (naraka motif)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stark moral tableau: a man tempted by coins, shadowed by a vision of a foul pit where worms feed on filth; the daughter stands protected behind dharma-personified figure.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Exploiting children for money is portrayed as a grave adharma with severe karmic consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned; the verse is a moral warning within dharma instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prohibition is stated: do not accept or subsist on wealth obtained through selling a daughter/offspring.