Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

कृतघ्नस्य च यत्पापं सूचकस्य च यद्भवेत् । तेन पापेन लिप्यामि यद्यहं नागमे पुनः

Transliteration

kṛtaghnasya ca yatpāpaṃ sūcakasya ca yadbhavet | tena pāpena lipyāmi yadyahaṃ nāgame punaḥ

Translation

Wenn ich nicht wieder hierher komme, möge mich die Sünde des Undankbaren und des Denunzianten beflecken—durch eben diese Sünde möge ich befleckt sein.

Word by Word

• कृतघ्नस्य: of an ungrateful person
• कृतघ्नस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

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

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सूचकस्य: of an informer / accuser
• सूचकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

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

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• भवेत्: may be / would arise
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/संभावना), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• पापेन: by sin
• पापेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• लिप्यामि: I become tainted
• लिप्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तबोधक-अव्यय

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• आगमे: I came / I return
• आगमे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्तिबोधक-अव्यय

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual vow/utterance within Arbuda Khaṇḍa narration; likely a pilgrim or narrator-voice within the māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim, about to depart Arbuda, utters a vow: ‘If I do not return, may I bear the sin of the ungrateful and the informer.’ The imagery contrasts a grateful offering gesture with shadowy figures whispering—symbolizing paiśunya.

Characters & Entities

• Arbuda (Mount Abu region)
• Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A sacred vow is made: failing to return to the holy place is treated as a grave moral lapse, equated with notorious sins, underscoring commitment to tīrtha-dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Arbuda-kṣetra (Mount Abu region) within the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa’s Arbuda Khaṇḍa is being praised through a vow of return.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite (snāna/dāna/japa) is stated; the verse frames a vow (saṅkalpa) binding oneself to revisit the tīrtha.