Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

ऋषीणामाश्रमाश्चैव देवारामा गणालयाः । तेन पापेन मे ध्वंसस्तपसश्च बलस्य च

Transliteration

ṛṣīṇāmāśramāścaiva devārāmā gaṇālayāḥ | tena pāpena me dhvaṃsastapasaśca balasya ca

Translation

Die Āśramas der ṛṣis, die göttlichen Haine und die Wohnstätten der Gaṇas Śivas sind verwüstet worden. Durch eben diese Sünde sind auch meine Tapas und meine Kraft zerstört.

Word by Word

• ऋषीणाम्: of sages
• ऋषीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• आश्रमाः: hermitages
• आश्रमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• एव: also
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात ‘indeed/also’

• देव-आरामाः: gardens of the gods
• देव-आरामाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + आराम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘देवानाम् आरामाः’ = ‘gardens of the gods/temple-gardens’

• गण-आलयाः: abodes of the gaṇas
• गण-आलयाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘गणानाम् आलयाः’ = ‘abodes of the gaṇas’

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पापेन: by sin
• पापेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• मे: my/of me
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन (enclitic)

• ध्वंसः: destruction
• ध्वंसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तपसः: of austerity
• तपसः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• बलस्य: of strength
• बलस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

Speaker

Unspecified penitent (contextual speaker within Revā Khaṇḍa narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (āśrama and Śaiva precinct network)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ruined hermitages and sacred groves; broken shrines or markers of gaṇa-ālaya; Bāṇa shown weakened, aura dimmed, posture collapsed, as if his ascetic radiance has drained away.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣi
• Gaṇa (Śiva’s attendants)
• Śiva (implied via gaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sin destroys spiritual capital—tapas and inner power—especially when it targets sacred communities and holy places.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā Khaṇḍa’s sacred landscape is the background; the verse stresses the sanctity of āśramas and Śaiva holy precincts.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse frames the need for atonement and renewed devotion.