Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

चौरचर्यां व्रतच्छन्नः परद्रव्यापहरकः । तेन कन्या हृता मेऽद्य तपस्विपापकर्मिणा

Transliteration

cauracaryāṃ vratacchannaḥ paradravyāpaharakaḥ | tena kanyā hṛtā me'dya tapasvipāpakarmiṇā

Translation

Dissimulant le vol sous le masque d’un vœu, dérobant le bien d’autrui : par cet ascète aux actes pécheurs, ma fille a été aujourd’hui enlevée.

Word by Word

• चौरचर्याम्: thievery/stealing
• चौरचर्याम्: Karma (Object/field of action; ‘in thievery’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चौरचर्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• व्रत-छन्नः: concealed by a vow (vow-disguised)
• व्रत-छन्नः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + छन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (तृतीया/षष्ठी-भावः): व्रतेन/व्रतस्य छन्नः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• पर-द्रव्य-अपहरकः: a stealer of others’ property
• पर-द्रव्य-अपहरकः: Karta (Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अपहरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: परस्य द्रव्यस्य अपहरकः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana/Karta (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया, एकवचनम्

• कन्या: the girl/daughter
• कन्या: Karma (Patient in passive; subject of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• हृता: was taken away
• हृता: Kriya (Passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• मे: my/from me
• मे: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (Genitive/Dative), एकवचनम्; अत्र षष्ठी (possessive)

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Kala-adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• तपस्वि-पाप-कर्मिणा: by that ascetic-looking evil-doer
• तपस्वि-पाप-कर्मिणा: Karana/Karta (Agent in passive; emphatic apposition to ‘तेन’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः: तपस्वी (इव) पापकर्मा; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनम्

Speaker

King (continuing accusation and judgment, implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king accuses a supposed ascetic: ‘He hides theft under a vow, steals others’ wealth, and has abducted my daughter today.’ Court charged with grief and outrage; the absent daughter implied.

Characters & Entities

• King
• Maiden/daughter (kanyā)
• False ascetic (tapasvī-pāpakarmī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Using religious appearance to mask adharma is especially condemned; true vrata is purity of conduct, not costume.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is directly praised; the verse highlights ethical dharma within the Revā Khaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vrata is mentioned only as a disguise; no legitimate ritual instruction is given.