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
कृतघ्न म्हणाला—हे महाराज, पापकर्मी मला कोणतीही सद्गती मिळाली नाही; तळ्यासाठी ठेवलेले धन चोरले आणि मी कृतघ्नही होतो।
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.