Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

अदत्तानि मया पाप फलानि हृतवानसि । कस्मात्त्वं चौर्यरूपेण नानुबन्धमवेक्षसे

Transliteration

adattāni mayā pāpa phalāni hṛtavānasi | kasmāttvaṃ cauryarūpeṇa nānubandhamavekṣase

Translation

„O Sünder! Du hast Früchte genommen, die ich dir nicht gegeben habe. Warum bedenkst du, in der Gestalt eines Diebes, nicht die Folgen, die daraufhin kommen?“

Word by Word

• अदत्तानि: not given (unauthorized)
• अदत्तानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-दत्त (दा धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; नञ्-समास/निषेध-पूर्वक (not given)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana/Agent-in-passive (Instrument/कर्ता-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री (common), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• पाप: O sinner
• पाप: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative/Nominative form), एकवचन; सम्बोधन (address)

• फलानि: fruits
• फलानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• हृतवान्: having taken/stolen
• हृतवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्यय (Perfect active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (Copula)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कस्मात्: why
• कस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगवत् प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: 'why/from what reason')

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री (common), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चौर्यरूपेण: in the manner of theft
• चौर्यरूपेण: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चौर्य + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया-हेतौ/प्रकारे (in the form/manner of theft)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अनुबन्धम्: consequence/after-effect
• अनुबन्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुबन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अवेक्षसे: you consider/notice
• अवेक्षसे: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Likhita

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Likhita’s admonition peaks: he labels the act as theft and speaks of consequences; Śaṅkha’s face shows dawning realization and fear of karmic aftermath.

Characters & Entities

• Likhita
• Śaṅkha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Taking what is not offered (adattādāna) binds one to karmic consequences; dharma requires consent, propriety, and foresight.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is embedded in a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter, but this line itself focuses on dharma rather than naming a particular site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed here; it emphasizes moral law (karma) and ethical restraint.