Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

ये शीतेन प्रबाध्यंते वेप माना मुहुर्मुहुः । देवस्वानां च हर्तारो ब्राह्मणानां विशेषतः

Transliteration

ye śītena prabādhyaṃte vepa mānā muhurmuhuḥ | devasvānāṃ ca hartāro brāhmaṇānāṃ viśeṣataḥ

Translation

Ceux qui sont opprimés par un froid piquant, tremblant encore et encore, sont les voleurs des biens du temple, et surtout les pilleurs de la richesse des brahmanes.

Word by Word

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• शीतेन: by cold
• शीतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण

• प्रबाध्यन्ते: are afflicted
• प्रबाध्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बाध् (धातु) with प्र-
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

• वेपमानाः: trembling
• वेपमानाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेपमान (कृदन्त; √वेप् धातु, शतृ/वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ)

• मुहुः: repeatedly
• मुहुः: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• मुहुः: again and again
• मुहुः: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति; कालवाचक अव्यय

• देव-स्वानाम्: of temple/god’s property
• देव-स्वानाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + स्व (प्रातिपदिक; ‘property/wealth’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष समास; ‘property of the gods’ (genitive)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात

• हर्तारः: stealers
• हर्तारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; from √हृ धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तृ-शब्द (agent noun)

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय; from विशेष)
• Form: रीतिवाचक/विशेषणार्थक अव्यय (adverb: especially)

Speaker

Yama

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: a brāhmaṇa (dvijottama)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cold, bleak naraka landscape: thieves shiver under biting winds and frost, trembling repeatedly; the punishment is environmental—cold as the inverse of the warmth of rightful giving and sacred hospitality.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Deva (temple property)
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Stealing from sacred endowments (devasva) and from brāhmaṇas is treated as a severe offense, urging reverence for sacred trust.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The context remains Prabhāsakṣetra; the māhātmya promotes protection of sacred institutions associated with holy places.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the dharmic directive is non-appropriation of devasva and respect for religious endowments.