Previous Verse
Next Verse

Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 73

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा चिरं ध्यात्वा पितामहः । अब्रवीच्च दरिद्रं तं छिद्रार्थं धनिना मिह

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā ciraṃ dhyātvā pitāmahaḥ | abravīcca daridraṃ taṃ chidrārthaṃ dhaninā miha

Ayant entendu ses paroles, l’Aïeul (Brahmā) demeura longtemps en méditation. Puis il dit au pauvre : «Voici de quoi ‘percer’ les riches : leurs points vulnérables.»

तस्यof him
तस्य:
Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन; genitive singular
तत्that
तत्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; demonstrative adjective qualifying वचनम्
वचनम्speech; words
वचनम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootवचन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular
श्रुत्वाhaving heard
श्रुत्वा:
Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√श्रु (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल; having heard
चिरम्for a long time
चिरम्:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootचिर (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावप्रयोग)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)
ध्यात्वाhaving reflected
ध्यात्वा:
Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√ध्यै (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल; having meditated/reflected
पितामहःthe grandsire (Brahmā)
पितामहः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular
अब्रवीत्said; spoke
अब्रवीत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√ब्रू (धातु)
Formलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada; aorist/imperfect sense 'said'
and
:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)
दरिद्रम्poor (man)
दरिद्रम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootदरिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective used substantively, qualifying तम्
तम्him
तम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular
छिद्रार्थम्for (finding) a flaw; for a pretext
छिद्रार्थम्:
Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
TypeNoun
Rootछिद्र + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिके)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) 'छिद्रस्य अर्थः' = purpose of a hole/defect
धनिनाby the rich man
धनिना:
Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrumental/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootधनिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; instrumental singular
इहhere
इह:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह (अव्यय)
Formदेशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

Pitāmaha (Brahmā)

Scene: Brahmā, the Grandsire, pauses in deep contemplation after hearing a poor man’s plea, then begins to reveal a secret list of the wealthy’s weak points—an almost satirical yet instructive counsel scene.

P
Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
D
daridra (a poor man)
D
dhanin (the wealthy)

FAQs

Even worldly prosperity has ‘weak points’; dharma requires vigilance and reflection before acting.

The verse sits within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya frame, but this particular line focuses on moral instruction rather than naming a tīrtha.

No direct ritual is prescribed in this verse; it introduces an explanation of causes (chidra) that later lead to remedial practices.