Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

कर्मक्रूराश्च ते सर्वे तथैवोदरिणस्तु ते । लंबकर्णा महादंष्ट्रा द्विजा धनपरायणाः

Transliteration

karmakrūrāśca te sarve tathaivodariṇastu te | laṃbakarṇā mahādaṃṣṭrā dvijā dhanaparāyaṇāḥ

Translation

Sie alle sind hart in ihren Taten; ebenso sind sie dickbäuchig. Mit langen Ohren und großen Hauern sind diese Zweifachgeborenen ganz dem Reichtum ergeben.

Word by Word

• कर्मक्रूराः: harsh in their actions
• कर्मक्रूराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karma + krūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—तत्पुरुष (karmaṇi krūrāḥ / karmasu krūrāḥ)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति-अव्यय (adverb: manner)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle of emphasis)

• उदरिणः: big-bellied, pot-bellied
• उदरिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udarin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (adversative/contrast particle)

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• लम्बकर्णाः: long-eared
• लम्बकर्णाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lamba + karṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—कर्मधारय

• महादंष्ट्राः: having large tusks/teeth
• महादंष्ट्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + daṃṣṭrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—कर्मधारय

• द्विजाः: twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• धनपरायणाः: devoted to wealth
• धनपरायणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhana + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—तत्पुरुष (dhane parāyaṇāḥ)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrator addressing a king within Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral allegory: brāhmaṇas with distorted features symbolizing inner vices—harshness, gluttony, greed—contrasted with a serene dharmic sage in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Dhana (wealth)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Greed and harsh conduct are condemned as signs of dharmic decline, regardless of social status.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; this is a moral characterization.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse functions as ethical censure rather than ritual instruction.