Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 67
Devanagari script
भवेत्कूलंकपा यद्वदल्पवर्षेणकन्नदी । खलर्धिरल्पवर्षेण तद्वत्स्यात्स्वकुलंकपा
Transliteration
bhavetkūlaṃkapā yadvadalpavarṣeṇakannadī | khalardhiralpavarṣeṇa tadvatsyātsvakulaṃkapā
Translation
അൽപമഴകൊണ്ട് ചെറിയൊഴുക്ക് പൊങ്ങി കര തകർക്കുന്നതുപോലെ, ദുഷ്ടന് ചെറിയ കാരണങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നു ലഭിച്ച സമൃദ്ധി സ്വന്തം കുലമാനത്തെ തകർത്തു അപകീർത്തിയാകുന്നു।
Word by Word
भवेत्would become
भवेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
कूलं-कपाa bank-cutter/eroder (one that cuts the bank)
कूलं-कपा:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकूल (प्रातिपदिक) + कपा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (कूलस्य कपा/कूलकपा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
यद्वत्just as
यद्वत्:
Upamana-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयद्वत् (अव्यय)
Formउपमानवाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle: 'just as')
अल्प-वर्षेणby little rain
अल्प-वर्षेण:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootअल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय-समास ('little rain'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
कन्-नदीa small river
कन्-नदी:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकन् (प्रातिपदिक) + नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय-समास (विशेषणपूर्वपद: 'small/insignificant river'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
खल-अर्धिःthe prosperity/abundance of a wicked man
खल-अर्धिः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootखल (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: 'of the wicked'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
अल्प-वर्षेणby little rain
अल्प-वर्षेण:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootअल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
तद्वत्likewise
तद्वत्:
Upameya-correlative (उपमेय-सूचक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतद्वत् (अव्यय)
Formउपमानानुसारी-अव्यय (correlative: 'so/likewise')
स्यात्would be
स्यात्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
स्व-कूलं-कपाa cutter of his own bank/lineage (one who harms his own family)
स्व-कूलं-कपा:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootस्व (प्रातिपदिक) + कूल (प्रातिपदिक) + कपा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (स्वस्य कूलस्य कपा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
Speaker
Vyāsa (narrative voice; speaker not explicitly marked in this verse)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A small stream suddenly swelling into a destructive flood that breaks its banks and washes away a family banner/insignia—symbolizing honor—while sages point to the moral.
FAQs
Unethical prosperity quickly turns destructive—eroding restraint, reputation, and the stability of one’s own family.
None directly; it is a general ethical teaching within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame.
None.