Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

तत्पापाद्वानरो जातो नरकानुभवादनु । नाहर्तव्यं विप्रधनं हरणान्नरकं भवेत्

Transliteration

tatpāpādvānaro jāto narakānubhavādanu | nāhartavyaṃ vipradhanaṃ haraṇānnarakaṃ bhavet

Translation

De ce péché je naquis singe, après avoir subi l’expérience de l’enfer. Il ne faut pas dérober les biens d’un brāhmaṇa ; par le vol, on tombe en enfer.

Word by Word

• तत्पापात्: from that sin
• तत्पापात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Case 5), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तत् पापम्)

• वानरः: a monkey
• वानरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Case 1), एकवचन

• जातः: was born
• जातः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (born)

• नरकानुभवात्: from experiencing hell
• नरकानुभवात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Case 5), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (नरकस्य अनुभवः)

• अनु: thereafter
• अनु: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/अव्यय (adverbial: thereafter/along)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• आहर्तव्यम्: should be taken away
• आहर्तव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-हृ (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-निषेध (should not be taken)

• विप्रधनम्: a Brahmin's wealth
• विप्रधनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (विप्रस्य धनम्)

• हरणात्: from theft/stealing
• हरणात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-भाववाचक (ल्युट्/अन्य), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Case 5), एकवचन; (from stealing)

• नरकम्: hell
• नरकम्: Karma (Result/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भवेत्: would occur/become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Vānara (the monkey)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu/Setubandha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Gomāyu

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The speaker declares the karmic chain: sin → hell-experience → monkey birth; the tone is admonitory, addressed to Gomāyu and by extension to pilgrims.

Characters & Entities

• Vānara
• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Stealing brāhmaṇa-property is a severe adharma leading to hell and degraded rebirth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setukhaṇḍa context is the Setu pilgrimage tradition, but this verse is primarily a dharma warning.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A clear prohibition: do not take/steal vipra-dhana (brāhmaṇa wealth).