Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

अतिमानादतिक्रोधात्स्नेहाद्वा यदि वा भयात् । प्रायश्चित्तमनर्हं तु ददत्तत्पापमश्नुते

Transliteration

atimānādatikrodhātsnehādvā yadi vā bhayāt | prāyaścittamanarhaṃ tu dadattatpāpamaśnute

Translation

અતિમાન, અતિક્રોધ, સ્નેહ અથવા ભયથી—જે અયોગ્યને પ્રાયશ્ચિત્ત આપે, તે આપનાર જ તે પાપ ભોગવે છે.

Word by Word

• ati-mānāt: from excessive pride
• ati-mānāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ati (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + māna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अतिमानः); पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case/Ablative), एकवचन

• ati-krodhāt: from excessive anger
• ati-krodhāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ati (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + krodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अतिक्रोधः); पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• snehāt: from affection
• snehāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sneha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विकल्पार्थक) = or

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Conditional/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (शर्त/निबन्ध) = if

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विकल्पार्थक) = or

• bhayāt: from fear
• bhayāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• prāyaścittam: expiation
• prāyaścittam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāyaścitta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (वाक्ये कर्मरूपेण)

• anarham: unfit (undeserved)
• anarham: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-arha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-समास/निषेध; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (प्रायश्चित्तं विशेषयति)

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विरोध/अवधारण) = but/indeed

• dadat: one who gives
• dadat: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle) ‘ददत्’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)

• tat-pāpam: that sin
• tat-pāpam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (तत् पापम् = that sin); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• aśnute: incurs/partakes (of)
• aśnute: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: aś (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Smṛti-authority brāhmaṇas (as a collective)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic moment: a senior brāhmaṇa raises a hand in instruction, cautioning against biased expiation; other brāhmaṇas listen gravely; Parāvasu stands respectfully, awaiting judgment.

Characters & Entities

• prāyaścitta
• Dharmaśāstra/Smṛti (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Religious authority must be exercised without bias; wrong guidance given from ego, anger, attachment, or fear becomes a moral fault for the adviser.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced in this verse; it is a dharmaśāstric principle within the chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A caution regarding prāyaścitta: it must be prescribed appropriately and only to a suitable recipient.