Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17
कृतघ्न उवाच । न मे गतिर्महाराज संजाता पापकर्मिणः । तडागवित्तचौरस्य कृतघ्नस्य तथैव च
kṛtaghna uvāca | na me gatirmahārāja saṃjātā pāpakarmiṇaḥ | taḍāgavittacaurasya kṛtaghnasya tathaiva ca
Kṛtaghna berkata: “Wahai maharaja, bagiku—pelaku karma dosa—tiada tercapai jalan mulia; aku pencuri harta yang diperuntukkan bagi pembuatan telaga, dan aku pun seorang yang tak tahu berterima kasih.”
Kṛtaghna (the preta, self-identifying)
Type: kshetra
Scene: In the dream, the preta speaks with folded hands, face contorted by pain; behind him a faint vision of an unfinished/neglected pond project symbolizes the stolen taḍāga funds.
FAQs
Misappropriating sacred/public welfare resources and ingratitude are condemned as heavy sins with severe post-death consequences.
Not yet specified; the verse focuses on the preta’s confession of sin.
Implicitly, it points to the merit of building/maintaining water tanks (taḍāga) and the grave fault of stealing such funds.