Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

परापवादभीरुत्वं परदारान्विवर्जयेत् । सुवर्णभूमिहरणब्रह्मदेवस्ववर्जनम्

Transliteration

parāpavādabhīrutvaṃ paradārānvivarjayet | suvarṇabhūmiharaṇabrahmadevasvavarjanam

Translation

Man soll sich davor fürchten, anderen Tadel aufzubürden, und die Gattin oder den Gatten eines anderen meiden. Man muss vom Diebstahl von Gold oder Land abstehen und sich nicht aneignen, was Brahmanen oder den Göttern gehört.

Word by Word

• परापवादभीरुत्वम्: fearfulness of others’ censure (being afraid of blame)
• परापवादभीरुत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर + अपवाद + भीरुत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्मरूपे (as object/thing to be adopted/observed)

• परदारान्: others’ wives
• परदारान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर + दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘परस्य दाराः’); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन

• विवर्जयेत्: should avoid
• विवर्जयेत्: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√वृज्/√वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन; आज्ञार्थ/विध्यर्थ (should avoid)

• सुवर्णभूमिहरणब्रह्मदेवस्ववर्जनम्: avoiding (theft of) gold and land, and avoiding Brahmins and gods’ property
• सुवर्णभूमिहरणब्रह्मदेवस्ववर्जनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण + भूमि + हरण + ब्रह्मदेव + स्व + वर्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व/समुच्चयार्थ बहुपद-समास (enumerative compound of items to be avoided); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

Speaker

Sārasvata (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra (Prabhāsa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim stands before a temple threshold with three symbolic temptations depicted as shadow-figures: gossiping tongues (para-apavāda), an illicit liaison (paradāra), and a hand reaching for gold/land/temple vessels—each restrained by a luminous dharma-line around the pilgrim.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmins
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity in pilgrimage is protected by moral restraint—avoid slander, sexual misconduct, and theft, especially of sacred or entrusted property.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

These vows are articulated within the Vastrāpathakṣetra-māhātmya of Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa, presenting conduct befitting a sacred kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No rite is prescribed; the verse lays down prohibitions (niṣedha) that safeguard spiritual merit during tīrtha observance.