Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 35
Devanagari script
विश्वस्तं मा वधीः कंचिदपि चोरं महामते । अपापेषु न शंकेथाः सत्यान्न चलितो भव
Transliteration
viśvastaṃ mā vadhīḥ kaṃcidapi coraṃ mahāmate | apāpeṣu na śaṃkethāḥ satyānna calito bhava
Translation
हे महामते! जिसने तुम पर विश्वास किया हो, उसे—चाहे वह चोर ही क्यों न हो—कभी न मारो। निर्दोषों पर शंका न करो और सत्य से विचलित न हो।
Word by Word
विश्वस्तम्one who trusts (you); a trusting person
विश्वस्तम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootविश्वस्त (कृदन्त; √विश् + नि/वि?; here from √विश्/√विश्वस् in sense 'to trust', adjectival past participle)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकृत्-प्रत्यय (past passive participle used adjectivally)
माdo not
मा:
Pratishedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootमा (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-निपात (prohibitive particle, with injunctive/imperative)
वधीःkill
वधीः:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवध् (धातु)
Formलुङ्-लकार (Aorist/अorist), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; निषेध 'मा' सह (prohibitive aorist)
कंचित्anyone
कंचित्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)
अपिeven
अपि:
Samuccaya (Inclusion/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसम्भावना/समुच्चय-अव्यय (even/also)
चोरम्a thief
चोरम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootचोर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)
महामतेO great-minded one
महामते:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootमहामति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहि (one whose intellect is great)
अपापेषुtowards/among the sinless
अपापेषु:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootअपाप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)
नnot
न:
Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)
शंकेथाःshould suspect/doubt
शंकेथाः:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootशङ्क् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद
सत्यान्the truthful (people)
सत्यान्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)
नnot
न:
Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)
चलितःshaken; deviated
चलितः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootचलित (कृदन्त; √चल्)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकृत् (past passive participle)
भवbe
भव:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद
Speaker
Unspecified (didactic instruction within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa; speaker not stated in the snippet)
FAQs
Uphold truth and fairness: protect trust, avoid harming the vulnerable, and do not falsely accuse the innocent.
No tīrtha is praised; the verse teaches universal dharma.
None; it prescribes moral restraint (ahiṃsā) and steadfastness in satya.