Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

अर्थनाशं पुत्रनाशं स्थाननाशं महा भयम् । कुरुते वायुपुत्रो हि रामवाक्यमनुस्मरन्

Transliteration

arthanāśaṃ putranāśaṃ sthānanāśaṃ mahā bhayam | kurute vāyuputro hi rāmavākyamanusmaran

Translation

Le Fils de Vāyu inflige perte des richesses, perte des enfants, perte de la position et grande crainte, se souvenant de la parole de Rāma.

Word by Word

• अर्थनाशम्: loss of wealth
• अर्थनाशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अर्थस्य नाशः)

• पुत्रनाशम्: loss of a son
• पुत्रनाशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पुत्रस्य नाशः)

• स्थाननाशम्: loss of position/place
• स्थाननाशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक) + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्थानस्य नाशः)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying भयम्)

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• कुरुते: brings about / causes
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• वायुपुत्रः: Vāyu's son (Hanumān)
• वायुपुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वायोः पुत्रः)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (indeed)

• रामवाक्यम्: Rāma's words
• रामवाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक) + वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रामस्य वाक्यम्)

• अनुस्मरन्: remembering
• अनुस्मरन्: Karta (Agent participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु-√स्मृ (धातु) → अनुस्मरन्त् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले (present active participle), क्रियाविशेषणभावे (while remembering)

Speaker

Deductive attribution: a Purāṇic narrator/instructor within Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa (speaker not explicit in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hanumān stands alert, eyes fixed, as if recalling Rāma’s words; behind him a radiant, unseen presence of Rāma (symbolic bow or footprint). In the foreground: a fallen official’s insignia (sthāna-nāśa), scattered wealth, a family in distress, and a looming shadow of fear.

Characters & Entities

• Vāyuputra (Hanumān)
• Rāma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine agents protect dharma; when injustice prevails, consequences manifest as loss of prosperity, lineage, and social standing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse stresses dharma-protection connected to Rāma and Hanumān.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the implied discipline is adherence to righteous conduct aligned with Rāma’s dharmic command.