Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

दोषहीनोऽपि धनवान्भूपाद्यैः परिताप्यते । दरिद्रः कृतदोषोऽपि सर्वत्र निरुपद्रवः

Transliteration

doṣahīno'pi dhanavānbhūpādyaiḥ paritāpyate | daridraḥ kṛtadoṣo'pi sarvatra nirupadravaḥ

Translation

Selbst wenn ohne Makel, wird der Reiche von Königen und Mächtigen bedrängt; der Arme jedoch—selbst wenn er Fehler beging—bleibt überall vergleichsweise frei von Unheil.

Word by Word

• दोषहीनः: faultless
• दोषहीनः: Karta (Qualifier of subject/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (‘दोषेण हीनः’ = without fault)

• अपि: even though
• अपि: Sambandha (Concessive particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अप्यर्थ/‘even/although’)

• धनवान्: a rich man
• धनवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (वतुप्)

• भूप-आद्यैः: by kings and others
• भूप-आद्यैः: Karaṇa (Agent in passive/कर्ता-कारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूप (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘भूपः आदिः येषां ते’ इति समाहार-निर्देशः (king and others)

• परिताप्यते: is tormented
• परिताप्यते: Kriyā (Passive predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + तप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• दरिद्रः: a poor man
• दरिद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दरिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (nominative singular)

• कृतदोषः: one who has committed faults
• कृतदोषः: Karta (Qualifier of subject/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ-धातु, क्त कृदन्त) + दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘कृतः दोषः यस्य’/‘दोषं कृतवान्’)

• अपि: even though
• अपि: Sambandha (Concessive particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अप्यर्थ/‘even though’)

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Deśa (Locative adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक; ‘everywhere’)

• निरुपद्रवः: untroubled; free from harassment
• निरुपद्रवः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग) + उपद्रव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक-प्रातिपदिक, ‘उपद्रवरहितः’

Speaker

An unnamed renunciate/narrator within the Tīrthamāhātmya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wealthy but virtuous man being questioned/pressured by royal agents; contrasted with a poor man walking freely, unbothered, in the same town—moral contrast emphasized.

Characters & Entities

• bhūpa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Possessions invite control and harassment; simplicity can bring a kind of worldly safety that supports spiritual life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named in this verse; it functions as moral teaching within the larger pilgrimage narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is on lifestyle (aparigraha/limited possession), not a ritual act.