Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

अपत्यविक्रयात्कल्पं वसेद्विट्कृमिभोजने । अतो नाण्वपि कन्याया उपजीव्यं नरैर्धनम्

Transliteration

apatyavikrayātkalpaṃ vasedviṭkṛmibhojane | ato nāṇvapi kanyāyā upajīvyaṃ narairdhanam

Translation

En vendant sa descendance, un homme demeurerait durant un kalpa dans le séjour où les vers se repaissent d’ordures. Aussi les hommes ne doivent-ils pas vivre, fût-ce d’un bien infime, acquis par le « prix » d’une fille.

Word by Word

• अपत्य: offspring/child
• अपत्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषे पूर्वपदम् (dependent member)

• विक्रयात्: from the sale (of offspring)
• विक्रयात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विक्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; 'अपत्य-विक्रयात्' = अपत्यस्य विक्रयात्

• कल्पम्: for a kalpa (aeon)
• कल्पम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कालपरिमाणवाचक

• वसेत्: should dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• विट्: in excrement
• विट्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपदम्

• कृमि: worms
• कृमि: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषे पूर्वपदम्

• भोजने: in the feeding-place (of worms)
• भोजने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; 'विट्-कृमि-भोजने' = विट्-स्थे कृमिभिः भोजने (worms’ feeding-place)

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; हेत्वर्थक-अव्यय (therefore/from this)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• अणु: even a little
• अणु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपात (particle)

• कन्यायाः: of a maiden/daughter
• कन्यायाः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• उपजीव्यम्: to be lived on/used for livelihood
• उपजीव्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + जीव् (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: भाव्य/योग्यतार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'उपजीव्यं धनम्' इति विशेषणम्

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (deduced, Brāhma Khaṇḍa dharma-narration context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vitkṛmi-bhojana (naraka motif)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stark moral tableau: a man tempted by coins, shadowed by a vision of a foul pit where worms feed on filth; the daughter stands protected behind dharma-personified figure.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Exploiting children for money is portrayed as a grave adharma with severe karmic consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned; the verse is a moral warning within dharma instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prohibition is stated: do not accept or subsist on wealth obtained through selling a daughter/offspring.