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Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 70

न च लोभेन चर्तव्यं विषमस्थं तृणं क्वचित् । लोभाद्विनाशो जंतूनामिह लोके परत्र च

na ca lobhena cartavyaṃ viṣamasthaṃ tṛṇaṃ kvacit | lobhādvināśo jaṃtūnāmiha loke paratra ca

N’agis jamais par avidité, fût-ce pour un simple brin d’herbe en un lieu périlleux. De l’avidité vient la destruction des créatures, en ce monde et dans l’autre.

nanot
na:
Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)
lobhenaby greed
lobhena:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootlobha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन (Instrumental singular)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)
artavyamshould be done
artavyam:
Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
TypeVerb
Root√ṛ (ऋ धातु) + tavya (तव्य-प्रत्यय)
Formतव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)
viṣamasthamsituated on uneven ground
viṣamastham:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootviṣama (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (स्थ)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying tṛṇam)
tṛṇama blade of grass
tṛṇam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottṛṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)
kvacitever/anywhere
kvacit:
Adhikarana (Adverbial locus/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkvacit (अव्यय)
Formदेश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: at any time/anywhere)
lobhātfrom greed
lobhāt:
Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
TypeNoun
Rootlobha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Ablative singular)
vināśaḥdestruction
vināśaḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootvināśa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular)
jaṃtūnāmof creatures
jaṃtūnām:
Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootjaṃtu (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Genitive plural)
ihahere
iha:
Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiha (अव्यय)
Formदेशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)
lokein the world
loke:
Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootloka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular)
paratrahereafter/in the next world
paratra:
Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootparatra (अव्यय)
Formदेश/परलोकवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in the other world)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Mother (unnamed, within Pulastya’s narration)

Tirtha: Arbuda (contextual)

Type: peak

Listener: Putraka

Scene: A blade of grass near a precipice or snake-hole; the child reaches, then withdraws remembering the counsel—visual metaphor for refusing petty greed in dangerous contexts.

P
Pulastya

FAQs

Greed is spiritually and practically destructive; even minor gains are not worth dharmic risk.

No specific sacred site is praised in this verse; it is ethical counsel framed within the Arbuda Khaṇḍa narrative.

None; the verse warns against greed as a moral hazard.