Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 35
पापभागी स विज्ञेय इति सत्यं न संशयः । उत्कोचं यस्तु गृह्णाति पापिनां दुष्टकर्मिणाम् । सकलं च भवेत्तस्य पापं नैवात्र सशयः
pāpabhāgī sa vijñeya iti satyaṃ na saṃśayaḥ | utkocaṃ yastu gṛhṇāti pāpināṃ duṣṭakarmiṇām | sakalaṃ ca bhavettasya pāpaṃ naivātra saśayaḥ
ସେ ପାପର ଭାଗୀ ବୋଲି ଜାଣିବା ଉଚିତ—ଏହା ସତ୍ୟ, ସନ୍ଦେହ ନାହିଁ। ଯେ ପାପୀ ଓ ଦୁଷ୍କର୍ମୀ ଲୋକଙ୍କଠାରୁ ଘୁଷ (ଉତ୍କୋଚ) ଗ୍ରହଣ କରେ, ତାହାର ଉପରେ ସେମାନଙ୍କ ସମସ୍ତ ପାପ ପଡ଼େ—ଏଥିରେ ସନ୍ଦେହ ନାହିଁ।
Narratorial voice (contextual dharma-instruction; explicit speaker not stated in this verse)
Scene: A solemn dharma-assembly where a judge/official refuses a pouch of coins offered by a grim, sinful petitioner; the rejected bribe appears as dark smoke returning to the giver, while a palm-leaf text of ‘nīti’ is held aloft.
FAQs
Corruption is spiritually ruinous: taking bribes makes one bear the full burden of the wrongdoer’s sin.
No site is praised in this verse; it is a dharma-teaching on justice and moral accountability.
No ritual is prescribed; it delivers a strict ethical prohibition against accepting bribes.