Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

गृहसंवेशको दूतः कृष्यारोपक एव च । आखेटी श्येनजीवी च कन्यादूषक एव च

Transliteration

gṛhasaṃveśako dūtaḥ kṛṣyāropaka eva ca | ākheṭī śyenajīvī ca kanyādūṣaka eva ca

Translation

Ein Vermittler, der den heimlichen Zutritt zu Häusern arrangiert, ein Bote solcher Geschäfte, wer vom Pflanzen gegen Lohn lebt, ein Jäger, wer von der Falknerei lebt und wer Jungfrauen schändet – auch diese sind zu meiden.

Word by Word

• gṛhasaṃveśakaḥ: house-intruder / one who infiltrates houses
• gṛhasaṃveśakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃveśaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘गृहस्य संवेशकः’ (one who enters/introduces into houses; house-intruder)

• dūtaḥ: messenger, agent
• dūtaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kṛṣyāropakaḥ: one who levies on agriculture (tax-collector)
• kṛṣyāropakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + āropaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘कृषेः आरोपकः’ (one who imposes/levies on agriculture; taxer)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय

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

• ākheṭī: hunter
• ākheṭī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākheṭin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘आखेटिन्’ (hunter) का प्रथमा एकवचन रूप

• śyenajīvī: one who lives by hawks (falconer)
• śyenajīvī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śyena (प्रातिपदिक) + jīvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘श्येनैः जीवति’/‘श्येनस्य जीविका यस्य’ (one who lives by hawks; falconer)

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

• kanyādūṣakaḥ: defiler of a maiden
• kanyādūṣakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक) + dūṣaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्म-तत्पुरुष: ‘कन्यां दूषयति’ (one who violates/corrupts a maiden)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय

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

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at Prabhāsa, holding a water-pot and gift, turns away from shadowy figures symbolizing deceitful brokers, hunters, and violators; in the background the sea and a distant temple spire suggest Somnath/Prabhāsa’s sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Religious giving must not legitimize exploitation or predation; dharma requires discernment in choosing recipients.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, framed as a pilgrimage setting where dharmic discipline is taught.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An implied dāna injunction: do not give to such offenders and immoral agents.