Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

दौर्हृदस्याप्रदानेन गर्भो दोषमवाप्नुयात् । वैरूप्यं मरणं वापि तस्मात्कार्यं प्रियं स्त्रियाः

Transliteration

daurhṛdasyāpradānena garbho doṣamavāpnuyāt | vairūpyaṃ maraṇaṃ vāpi tasmātkāryaṃ priyaṃ striyāḥ

Translation

দৌৰ্হৃদ, অৰ্থাৎ গৰ্ভৱতীৰ অন্তৰৰ তীব্ৰ আকাঙ্ক্ষা পূৰণ নকৰিলে গৰ্ভে দোষ লাভ কৰিব পাৰে—বিকৃত ৰূপ বা মৃত্যুও হ’ব পাৰে। সেয়ে স্ত্ৰীৰ যি প্ৰিয় আৰু হিতকৰ, সেয়া যোগান ধৰা উচিত।

Word by Word

• दौर्हृदस्य: of the pregnancy-craving (dauḥhṛda)
• दौर्हृदस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दौर्हृद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of the pregnant craving/longing)

• अप्रदानेन: by non-fulfilment/non-giving
• अप्रदानेन: Karana (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ (नञ्) + प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (means/cause); नञ्-समासपूर्वक भाव

• गर्भः: the fetus/embryo
• गर्भः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता

• दोषम्: defect/fault
• दोषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• अवाप्नुयात्: may obtain/incur
• अवाप्नुयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वैरूप्यम्: deformity
• वैरूप्यम्: Karma/Phala (Result)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैरूप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; फलवाचक (result)

• मरणम्: death
• मरणम्: Karma/Phala (Result)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; फलवाचक

• वा: or
• वा: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (disjunctive particle)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also/even)

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (Reason/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेतौ (therefore/from that)

• कार्यम्: to be done/should be done
• कार्यम्: Kriya-arthaka (Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate: should be done)

• प्रियम्: what is dear/desired
• प्रियम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्म/विधेय (what is dear)

• स्त्रियाः: of the woman
• स्त्रियाः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of the woman)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced for Āvantya Khaṇḍa narrative frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A household scene: a pregnant woman seated calmly; family members offer desired food/objects with reverence; a protective aura around the womb; the mood is tender and cautionary, emphasizing care to prevent harm.

Characters & Entities

• Garbha
• Dauḥṛda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Gṛhastha-dharma includes compassionate care for pregnancy; honoring the mother’s wellbeing is treated as protection of life itself.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is praised; the verse offers dharmic household guidance within the Revā Khaṇḍa context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A practical prescription is given: fulfill the pregnant woman’s rightful cravings and provide what is pleasing and beneficial to her.