Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

देवस्त्रीगुरुवित्तानि यो गृहीत्वा न यच्छति । विशेषाद्ब्राह्मणस्वं च स प्रेतो जायते नरः

Transliteration

devastrīguruvittāni yo gṛhītvā na yacchati | viśeṣādbrāhmaṇasvaṃ ca sa preto jāyate naraḥ

Translation

ದೇವತೆ, ಸ್ತ್ರೀ ಅಥವಾ ಗುರುವರ್ಯರ ಧನವನ್ನು ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಂಡು ಮರಳಿ ಕೊಡದವನು—ವಿಶೇಷವಾಗಿ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣಸ್ವವನ್ನು—ಪ್ರೇತಯೋನಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಜನ್ಮಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ.

Word by Word

• देवस्त्रीगुरुवित्तानि: the wealth of gods, women, and teachers (i.e., property belonging to them)
• देवस्त्रीगुरुवित्तानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + स्त्री + गुरु + वित्त (प्रातिपदिक); घटक: देव, स्त्री, गुरु, वित्त
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (copulative)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु) + गृहीत्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• यच्छति: gives / returns
• यच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• विशेषात्: especially
• विशेषात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (adverbial sense)

• ब्राह्मणस्वम्: a Brahmin’s property
• ब्राह्मणस्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण + स्व (प्रातिपदिक); घटक: ब्राह्मण, स्व
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (belonging to a Brahmin)

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

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रेतः: a preta
• प्रेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जायते: is born / becomes
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (likely the respondent/teacher in the dialogue)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A man secretly holds a pouch labeled as temple/guru/strī wealth; behind him a deity’s shrine and a seated guru; the withheld gift turns into a dark chain pulling him toward preta-shadow.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred trusts—temple funds, a teacher’s assets, and protected dependents’ wealth—must not be exploited; misuse leads to severe karmic downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named; the verse addresses general dharma concerning sacred and protected property.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied restitution: what is taken from protected categories should be returned; honoring dāna and rightful ownership is emphasized.