Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

अहो पापसमाचारो दुष्टोऽयं ब्राह्मणाधमः । अपापां धर्मपत्नीं यो मिथ्यादोषेणयोजयेत्

Transliteration

aho pāpasamācāro duṣṭo'yaṃ brāhmaṇādhamaḥ | apāpāṃ dharmapatnīṃ yo mithyādoṣeṇayojayet

Translation

ହାୟ, କି ପାପାଚାର! ଏହି ଦୁଷ୍ଟ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣାଧମ ନିର୍ଦୋଷ ଧର୍ମପତ୍ନୀ ଉପରେ ମିଥ୍ୟା ଦୋଷ ଲଗାଇବାକୁ ଚାହେ।

Word by Word

• aho: alas! oh!
• aho: Sambandha (Exclamation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aho (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्गार-अव्यय (interjection/exclamation)

• pāpasamācāraḥ: sinful conduct
• pāpasamācāraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa-samācāra (प्रातिपदिक: pāpa + samācāra)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुष (Tatpurusha): pāpa ‘sin’ + samācāra ‘conduct’; पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• duṣṭaḥ: wicked
• duṣṭaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ayam: this (man)
• ayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• brāhmaṇādhamaḥ: the worst Brahmin
• brāhmaṇādhamaḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa-adhama (प्रातिपदिक: brāhmaṇa + adhama)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुष (Tatpurusha): ‘lowest among Brahmins’; पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• apāpām: sinless
• apāpām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• dharmapatnīm: lawful wife
• dharmapatnīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma-patnī (प्रातिपदिक: dharma + patnī)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुष (Tatpurusha): ‘lawful wife’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• mithyādoṣeṇa: by a false accusation
• mithyādoṣeṇa: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mithyā-doṣa (प्रातिपदिक: mithyā + doṣa)
• Form: समासः—कर्मधारय (Karmadharaya): mithyā ‘false’ + doṣa ‘fault’; पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• yojayet: should connect/implicate, would accuse
• yojayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yuj (धातु) (णिच् causative: yojay-)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

Speaker

Public/people (collective condemnation; implied)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Elders and townsfolk speak with fierce moral clarity; the husband is depicted as ashamed and cornered; the wife stands as 'dharmapatnī'—steady, modest, unwavering.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Slander against the innocent—especially by misusing social or religious status—is portrayed as grave adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports the wider Tīrthamāhātmya narrative context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is ethical condemnation rather than ritual instruction.