Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 160

Devanagari script

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

Transliteration

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

Translation

“สำหรับผู้ฆ่าพราหมณ์ ผู้ดื่มสุรา ผู้ลักขโมย ผู้ทำลายความไว้วางใจ และผู้คดโกง—บัณฑิตผู้ดีได้บัญญัติการชดใช้บาปไว้; แต่สำหรับผู้เนรคุณ ไม่มีการชดใช้บาป”

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मघ्ने: in the case of a Brahmin-slayer
• ब्रह्मघ्ने: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Loc./7th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सुरापे: in the case of a liquor-drinker
• सुरापे: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुराप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Loc./7th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• चौरे: in the case of a thief
• चौरे: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Loc./7th), एकवचन

• भग्नवते: in the case of one who has broken (a vow/faith)
• भग्नवते: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भग्नवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Loc./7th), एकवचन

• शठे: in the case of a deceitful person
• शठे: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Loc./7th), एकवचन

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

• विहिता: prescribed
• विहिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + √धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘निष्कृतिः’ इति विशेषण

• सद्भिः: by the good/wise
• सद्भिः: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instr./3rd), बहुवचन

• कृतघ्ने: in the case of an ungrateful person
• कृतघ्ने: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Loc./7th), एकवचन

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

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• निष्कृतिः: expiation
• निष्कृतिः: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्कृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom./1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Indra (Sahasrākṣa) (deduced from context)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas of the lineages assembled

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral allegory: on one side, figures representing brahmahatyā, surāpāna, theft, breach of trust, deceit—each shown with a path of expiation; on the other, a shadowed figure labeled ‘kṛtaghna’ with no path, emphasizing the verse’s stark claim.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Sahasrākṣa)
• Brāhmaṇa (as category in brahmahatyā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text elevates gratitude as foundational dharma: even grave sins may have expiation, but ingrained ingratitude is portrayed as spiritually corrosive.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it supplies a moral maxim within the tīrtha-centered narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Expiations (niṣkṛti/prāyaścitta) are referenced generally, but no particular rite is specified.