Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

चंदनागरुकर्पूरकस्तूरीपट्टवाससाम् । हस्तन्यासापहरणं स्कमस्तेयसमं स्मृतम्

Transliteration

caṃdanāgarukarpūrakastūrīpaṭṭavāsasām | hastanyāsāpaharaṇaṃ skamasteyasamaṃ smṛtam

Translation

Sandelholz, Adlerholz, Kampfer, Moschus, feine Seiden und Gewänder zu rauben—und ebenso das zu stehlen, was einem aus Vertrauen in die Hand gelegt wurde—gilt als dem schlimmsten Diebstahl gleich.

Word by Word

• candana-agaru-karpūra-kastūrī-paṭṭa-vāsasām: of sandalwood, agaru, camphor, musk, silk, and garments
• candana-agaru-karpūra-kastūrī-paṭṭa-vāsasām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: candana (प्रातिपदिक) + agaru (प्रातिपदिक) + karpūra (प्रातिपदिक) + kastūrī (प्रातिपदिक) + paṭṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (चन्दनम्, अगरु, कर्पूरम्, कस्तूरी, पट्टः, वासांसि)

• hasta-nyāsa-apaharaṇam: stealing what has been placed in the hand (hand-deposit)
• hasta-nyāsa-apaharaṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hasta (प्रातिपदिक) + nyāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + apaharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हस्तन्यासस्य अपहरणम्)

• skama-steya-samam: equal to skama-stealing (a grave theft)
• skama-steya-samam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: skama (प्रातिपदिक) + steya (प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (स्कमस्तेयेन समम्)

• smṛtam: is considered/declared
• smṛtam: Predicate (Vidheyā/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अर्थः—‘(इति) स्मृतम्’ = is declared/considered

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A marketplace/temple storehouse scene: fragrant sandal paste, camphor crystals, musk pods, silk bolts; a person stealthily taking them; another scene shows a hand placing a bundle in trust and the trustee hiding it; a divine witness motif overhead.

Characters & Entities

• Candana
• Agaru
• Karpūra
• Kastūrī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Stealing valuables is sinful, but violating trust—taking what was entrusted—deepens the moral rupture and is strongly condemned.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is praised in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a prohibition emphasizing honesty and trustworthiness.