Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

रसभेदी कृतघ्नश्च स्वामिध्रुङ्मित्रवञ्चकः । गोघ्नश्च गरदश्चैव कन्याविक्रयकारकः

Transliteration

rasabhedī kṛtaghnaśca svāmidhruṅmitravañcakaḥ | goghnaśca garadaścaiva kanyāvikrayakārakaḥ

Translation

Selbst wer Vertrauen bricht, undankbar ist, Herrn und Freund betrügt, Kühe tötet, Gift verabreicht oder mit dem Verkauf einer Jungfrau Handel treibt—

Word by Word

• रसभेदी: one who divulges secrets (lit. splitter of essence)
• रसभेदी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रस (प्रातिपदिक) + भिद् (धातु) → भेदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; इन्-प्रत्ययान्त; तत्पुरुषः (रसस्य भेदी)

• कृतघ्नः: ingrate
• कृतघ्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कृतं हन्ति/उपकारं न जानाति)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• स्वामिध्रुक्: betrayer of one’s master
• स्वामिध्रुक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामि (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्रुच्/ध्रुह् (धातु/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्वामिनं द्रुह्यति); रूपम्: ध्रुक् (क्-प्रत्ययान्त)

• मित्रवञ्चकः: deceiver of friends
• मित्रवञ्चकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वञ्चक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मित्रं वञ्चयति)

• गोघ्नः: cow-killer
• गोघ्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गां हन्ति)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• गरदः: poisoner (one who uses poison)
• गरदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• कन्याविक्रयकारकः: one who causes/sells a maiden (arranges sale of a girl)
• कन्याविक्रयकारकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्रय (प्रातिपदिक) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (कन्यायाः विक्रयस्य कारकः)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice within Revā Khaṇḍa; traditionally Sūta-like narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-mahātmya (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau showing shadowy figures representing the listed sins—betrayer, poisoner, cow-killer, deceiver—contrasted with a luminous path of purification (river/tirtha light) in the background, implying hope beyond wrongdoing.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text sets up a catalogue of severe wrongdoing to emphasize the extraordinary purifying power associated with Narmadā devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Revā/Narmadā is the implied purifier whose māhātmya is being extolled.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The prescription is continued in the next verses: hearing/serving the Narmadā narrative as a means of purification.