Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

तडागानां सहस्रेण अश्वमेधशतेन वा । गवां कोटिप्रदानेन भूमिहर्त्ता विशुध्यति

Transliteration

taḍāgānāṃ sahasreṇa aśvamedhaśatena vā | gavāṃ koṭipradānena bhūmiharttā viśudhyati

Translation

زمین چرانے والا تبھی پاک ہوتا ہے جب (ثواب میں) ہزار تالاب بنوانے کے برابر، یا سو اشومیدھ یگیہ کے برابر، یا ایک کروڑ گایوں کے دان کے برابر کفارہ حاصل کرے۔

Word by Word

• तडागानाम्: of ponds
• तडागानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तडाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• सहस्रेण: by a thousand
• सहस्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अश्वमेध: horse-sacrifice
• अश्वमेध: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व + मेध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अश्वस्य मेधः = horse-sacrifice) समासाङ्ग

• शतेन: by a hundred
• शतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/विकल्पार्थक particle; 'or')

• गवाम्: of cows
• गवाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• कोटि: a crore
• कोटि: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; समासाङ्ग (ten million)

• प्रदानेन: by giving
• प्रदानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक); दा (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• भूमिहर्त्ता: one who steals land
• भूमिहर्त्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि + हर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक); हृ (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भूमेः हर्ता = land-stealer)

• विशुध्यति: becomes purified
• विशुध्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; वि-उपसर्ग

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three symbolic paths of expiation shown as a triptych: (1) villagers digging and filling a large reservoir; (2) a royal aśvamedha arena with sacrificial posts; (3) a vast herd of cows being gifted with attendants and priests—looming over a small figure representing the land-thief seeking purification.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Land theft is portrayed as a grave sin, requiring extraordinary expiation—highlighting the sanctity of land-gifts and property rights under dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular site is named; the verse compares expiatory merits (taḍāga-making, Aśvamedha, go-dāna).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prāyaścitta is indicated via great acts: constructing many reservoirs, performing Aśvamedha sacrifices, or giving vast go-dāna.