Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 110

Devanagari script

बुधो न कुरुते पापं यदि कुर्यात्स आत्महा । देहोऽयं मानुषो जंतोर्बहुकर्मैकभाजनम्

Transliteration

budho na kurute pāpaṃ yadi kuryātsa ātmahā | deho'yaṃ mānuṣo jaṃtorbahukarmaikabhājanam

Translation

ஞானி பாவம் செய்யான்; செய்தால் அவன் தன் ஆத்மாவையே கொன்றவனாவான். இந்த மனித உடல் உயிர்க்கு பலவகை கர்மமும் புண்ணியமும் சாதிக்க ஒரே பாத்திரமாகும்.

Word by Word

• बुधः: a wise man
• बुधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• कुरुते: does/commits
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional conjunction)

• कुर्यात्: should do/if he were to do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• आत्महा: self-slayer (one who destroys himself)
• आत्महा: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् + हन् (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आत्मनः हन्ता)

• देहः: body
• देहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (देहस्य)

• मानुषः: human
• मानुषः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (देहस्य)

• जन्तोः: of a creature/person
• जन्तोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• बहुकर्मैकभाजनम्: a single receptacle for many actions
• बहुकर्मैकभाजनम्: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु + कर्म + एक + भाजन (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः (बहूनि कर्माणि + एकं भाजनम्)

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic narration within Brahmottara Khaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative sage instructs a listener: the human body depicted as a fragile yet luminous vessel; shadowy forms of pāpa recede as the mind turns to dharma.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Human life is a rare instrument for dharma; harming it through pāpa is portrayed as harming one’s own spiritual welfare.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred site is named; the verse is universal instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No single rite is prescribed; it urges wise restraint and dharmic use of the human body for good action.