Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मघ्ने च सुरापे च चौरे भग्नवते तथा । निष्कृतिर्विहिता सद्भिः कृतघ्ने नास्ति निष्कृतिः

Transliteration

brahmaghne ca surāpe ca caure bhagnavate tathā | niṣkṛtirvihitā sadbhiḥ kṛtaghne nāsti niṣkṛtiḥ

Translation

ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣହନ୍ତା, ସୁରାପାନୀ, ଚୋର ଏବଂ ବିଶ୍ୱାସଭଙ୍ଗକାରୀ—ଏମାନଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ସଜ୍ଜନମାନେ ପ୍ରାୟଶ୍ଚିତ୍ତ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଧାରଣ କରିଛନ୍ତି; କିନ୍ତୁ କୃତଘ୍ନ ପାଇଁ କୌଣସି ପ୍ରାୟଶ୍ଚିତ୍ତ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मघ्ने: in/for a Brahmin-slayer
• ब्रह्मघ्ने: Adhikarana (Reference/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ब्रह्मणः घ्नः = slayer of a Brahmin); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सुरापे: in/for a liquor-drinker
• सुरापे: Adhikarana (Reference/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुराप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सुरां पिबति = drinker of liquor); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• चौरे: in/for a thief
• चौरे: Adhikarana (Reference/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• भग्नवते: in/for one who has broken (a vow/faith)
• भग्नवते: Adhikarana (Reference/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भग्नवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Manner/Addition (प्रकार/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• निष्कृतिः: expiation
• निष्कृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्कृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• विहिता: is prescribed
• विहिता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु) → विहित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकृत्-प्रत्यय (Past participle/क्त); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थ (passive sense)

• सद्भिः: by the good (people)
• सद्भिः: Karana (Instrument/Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कृतघ्ने: in/for an ungrateful person
• कृतघ्ने: Adhikarana (Reference/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कृतं घ्नः = destroyer of a benefit; ungrateful); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• निष्कृतिः: expiation
• निष्कृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्कृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narrative context (speaker not explicit in this verse; likely within Sūta’s narration in Tīrtha-māhātmya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic moment: a sage enumerates grave sins and notes that expiation exists for them, but none for the ungrateful.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma values gratitude as foundational; some sins may be ritually expiated, but ingratitude is portrayed as a deep moral rupture that resists easy atonement.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse gives a general dharma-principle within the Nāgara Khaṇḍa Tīrtha-māhātmya narrative; the specific site is clarified in the surrounding verses describing the local liṅga and shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It references prāyaścitta in principle (niṣkṛti), without naming a specific rite in this verse.