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 raja agung, bagiku—yang melakukan perbuatan dosa—tiada destinasi baik yang terbit. Aku pencuri harta yang diperuntukkan bagi pembinaan kolam, dan aku juga seorang yang tidak 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.