Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

याचितं द्विजवरे न दीयते संचितं क्रतुवरे न योज्यते । तत्कदर्यपरिरक्षितं धनं चौरपार्थिवगृहेषु भुज्यते

Transliteration

yācitaṃ dvijavare na dīyate saṃcitaṃ kratuvare na yojyate | tatkadaryaparirakṣitaṃ dhanaṃ caurapārthivagṛheṣu bhujyate

Translation

Ce qu’un brāhmane éminent demande n’est pas donné; ce qui est amassé n’est pas consacré au noble sacrifice. Cette richesse, gardée par l’avarice, est finalement consommée dans les maisons des voleurs et des rois.

Word by Word

• yācitam: (that which is) begged/asked for
• yācitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yācita (याचित; √yāc याच् + क्त, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) used substantively

• dvijavare: in/for the best of the twice-born (brahmin)
• dvijavare: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija + vara (द्विज + वर; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (द्विजानां वरः)

• na: not
• na: Modifier (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• dīyate: is given
• dīyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• saṃcitam: (that which is) accumulated
• saṃcitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃcita (संचित; √ci चि + सम् + क्त, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त used substantively

• kratuvare: in/for the best sacrifice
• kratuvare: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kratu + vara (क्रतु + वर; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (क्रतूनां वरः)

• na: not
• na: Modifier (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• yojyate: is employed/used
• yojyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yuj (युज्)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• tat-kadarya-parirakṣitam: guarded/protected by that miserly (person)
• tat-kadarya-parirakṣitam: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tat + kadarya + parirakṣita (तत् + कदर्य + परिरक्षित; √rakṣ रक्ष् + परि + क्त, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (तत्-कदर्येण परिरक्षितम्)

• dhanam: wealth
• dhanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (धन; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• caura-pārthiva-gṛheṣu: in the houses of thieves and kings
• caura-pārthiva-gṛheṣu: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caura + pārthiva + gṛha (चौर + पार्थिव + गृह; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (चौराश्च पार्थिवाश्च) + तेषां गृहेषु

• bhujyate: is enjoyed/consumed
• bhujyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhuj (भुज्)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Narrative voice within Tīrthamāhātmya (contextual speaker not explicit in the excerpt)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A miser refuses a venerable brāhmaṇa’s request; his locked coffers later appear in a thief’s den and a king’s treasury, showing the inevitable transfer of hoarded wealth.

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇa (dvija)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wealth should support dharma—charity to the worthy and sacrificial duty; otherwise it is taken away and enjoyed by others.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha-name appears in this verse; it reinforces the dharmic conduct expected in tīrtha contexts.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Giving to worthy brāhmaṇas (dāna) and employing wealth in yajña/kratu (sacrifice) are explicitly referenced.