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

Wird das Herzensverlangen (dauḥṛda) der Schwangeren nicht erfüllt, kann der Fötus Schaden nehmen — Missgestalt oder gar Tod. Darum soll man der Frau geben, was ihr lieb und heilsam ist.

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.