Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

संसर्गदोषदुष्टश्च नापि तस्य हि निष्कृतिः । कन्याविक्रयिणश्चापि हयविक्रयिणस्तथा

Transliteration

saṃsargadoṣaduṣṭaśca nāpi tasya hi niṣkṛtiḥ | kanyāvikrayiṇaścāpi hayavikrayiṇastathā

Translation

Celui que se trouve souillé par la faute d’une fréquentation corrompue n’a, en vérité, aucune expiation. De même sont blâmés ceux qui vendent une jeune fille (en mariage) et, pareillement, ceux qui vendent des chevaux.

Word by Word

• saṃsarga-doṣa-duṣṭaḥ: one tainted by the fault of association
• saṃsarga-doṣa-duṣṭaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃsarga (प्रातिपदिक) + doṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + duṣṭa (कृदन्त; √duṣ दूष् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी/तत्पुरुषः (संसर्गस्य दोषेन दूषितः)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-शब्दः (particle: even/also)

• tasya: of him/of that person
• tasya: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (genitive singular)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• niṣkṛtiḥ: expiation/atonement
• niṣkṛtiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niṣkṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• kanyā-vikrayiṇaḥ: sellers of a maiden (those who sell a daughter)
• kanyā-vikrayiṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक) + vikrayin (प्रातिपदिक; √krī क्री + वि + णिनि/इन् ‘seller’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कन्यायाः विक्रयी)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-शब्दः (particle: also)

• haya-vikrayiṇaḥ: sellers of horses
• haya-vikrayiṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haya (प्रातिपदिक) + vikrayin (प्रातिपदिक; √krī क्री + वि + णिनि/इन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (हयानां विक्रयी)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: likewise/so)

Speaker

Not explicit in snippet (Setukhaṇḍa narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra / Setubandha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrims/ṛṣis inquiring about Setu-dharma (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dharma-assembly near the sea-tīrtha: elders instruct pilgrims; a figure symbolizing ‘bad company’ stands apart; merchants bargaining over a maiden/horse are shown as moral caution, while the tīrtha waters glimmer in the background.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Avoiding corrupt company and commodifying sacred human relationships is presented as a severe dharmic downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs within Setukhaṇḍa (Setu Māhātmya), the broader glorification of Setu/Rāmeśvaram, though this particular line is ethical instruction rather than site-description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed here; it states that for certain faults, expiation is not taught.