Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

गौतम उवाच । स गृह्णात्वविकादानं करोतु हयविक्रयम् । प्रकरोतु गुरोर्निंदां बिसस्तैन्यं करोति यः

Transliteration

gautama uvāca | sa gṛhṇātvavikādānaṃ karotu hayavikrayam | prakarotu gurorniṃdāṃ bisastainyaṃ karoti yaḥ

Translation

Gautama déclara : «Celui qui commet le bisastainya prend ce qui ne doit pas être pris, se livre au commerce des chevaux, et va jusqu’à blâmer ouvertement son propre maître».

Word by Word

• गौतमः: Gautama
• गौतमः: Karta (Speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gautama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गृह्णातु: let him take/accept
• गृह्णातु: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अविकादानम्: taking/giving of a ewe (sheep)
• अविकादानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: avikā + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (अविकायाः दानम्/आदानम्)

• करोतु: let him do
• करोतु: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• हयविक्रयम्: sale of horses
• हयविक्रयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: haya + vikraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (हयानां विक्रयः)

• प्रकरोतु: let him perform/do
• प्रकरोतु: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• गुरोः: of the teacher
• गुरोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• निन्दाम्: censure/insult
• निन्दाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: nindā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बिसस्तैन्यम्: theft of lotus-stalks
• बिसस्तैन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: bisa + stainya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• करोति: commits
• करोति: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Relative subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Gautama

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage-assembly at Prabhāsa: Gautama pronounces the moral degeneration caused by bisastainya—figures shown taking what is not given, bargaining horses, and a man turning away to slander his seated guru.

Characters & Entities

• Gautama
• Guru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Theft is shown to erode reverence and right livelihood, culminating in disrespect toward the guru.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra provides the māhātmya setting; the verse itself emphasizes dharma rather than a particular shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No; it is a karmic warning, not a ritual guideline.