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

Hỡi bậc đại trí, chớ làm hại bất kỳ ai đã đặt lòng tin nơi ngươi—dẫu là kẻ trộm. Chớ nghi kỵ người vô tội, và đừng lay chuyển khỏi chân thật.

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.