Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

विश्वस्तं मा वधीः कंचिदपि चोरं महामते । अपापेषु न शंकेथाः सत्यान्न चलितो भव

Transliteration

viśvastaṃ mā vadhīḥ kaṃcidapi coraṃ mahāmate | apāpeṣu na śaṃkethāḥ satyānna calito bhava

Translation

О мудрый, не причиняй вреда никому, кто доверился тебе, даже вору. Не подозревай невинных и не колеблись в истине.

Word by Word

• विश्वस्तम्: one who trusts (you); a trusting person
• विश्वस्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्वस्त (कृदन्त; √विश् + नि/वि?; here from √विश्/√विश्वस् in sense 'to trust', adjectival past participle)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकृत्-प्रत्यय (past passive participle used adjectivally)

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratishedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (prohibitive particle, with injunctive/imperative)

• वधीः: kill
• वधीः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वध् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist/अorist), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; निषेध 'मा' सह (prohibitive aorist)

• कंचित्: anyone
• कंचित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Samuccaya (Inclusion/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चय-अव्यय (even/also)

• चोरम्: a thief
• चोरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• महामते: O great-minded one
• महामते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहि (one whose intellect is great)

• अपापेषु: towards/among the sinless
• अपापेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• शंकेथाः: should suspect/doubt
• शंकेथाः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शङ्क् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• सत्यान्: the truthful (people)
• सत्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• चलितः: shaken; deviated
• चलितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चलित (कृदन्त; √चल्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकृत् (past passive participle)

• भव: be
• भव: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic instruction within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa; speaker not stated in the snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A judge/elder restrains punishment: a bound thief seeks shelter; the elder lifts a hand in ‘abhaya’ (do not harm), while an innocent person stands calm; a balance scale symbolizes truth and justice.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Uphold truth and fairness: protect trust, avoid harming the vulnerable, and do not falsely accuse the innocent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is praised; the verse teaches universal dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it prescribes moral restraint (ahiṃsā) and steadfastness in satya.