Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 96

Devanagari script

निर्धनस्यैव चरतो न भयं विद्यते क्वचित् । धनीभयैर्न मुच्येत धनं तस्मात्त्यजाम्यहम्

Transliteration

nirdhanasyaiva carato na bhayaṃ vidyate kvacit | dhanībhayairna mucyeta dhanaṃ tasmāttyajāmyaham

Translation

Wer ohne Reichtum lebt, findet nirgends Furcht; doch der Reiche wird nicht frei von den aus dem Besitz geborenen Ängsten. Darum entsage ich dem Reichtum.

Word by Word

• nirdhanasya: of a poor man
• nirdhanasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirdhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• eva: indeed, only
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय

• carataḥ: of one who moves about
• carataḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √car (चर्)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• bhayam: fear
• bhayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vidyate: exists, is found
• vidyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (विद्)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (existential: ‘is found’)

• kvacit: anywhere, ever
• kvacit: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kvacit (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (indefinite adverb)

• dhanī-bhayaiḥ: by fears due to the wealthy / fears of the rich
• dhanī-bhayaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanin (प्रातिपदिक) + bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (dhanināṃ bhayaiḥ)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• mucyeta: would be released
• mucyeta: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √muc (मुच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (passive sense: ‘would be freed’)

• dhanam: wealth
• dhanam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• tasmāt: therefore, from that
• tasmāt: Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• tyajāmi: I abandon
• tyajāmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tyaj (त्यज्)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narratorial voice within Revā Khaṇḍa (didactic; precise speaker not stated in the snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha (contextual)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A renouncer/pilgrim placing coins/jewels into a donation vessel at a river-ghat; his posture relaxed and fearless; wealthy figures nearby appear anxious, guarding chests.

Characters & Entities

• Vairāgya (renunciation)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Attachment to wealth breeds anxiety; freedom grows through simplicity and renunciation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the verse supports the Revā Khaṇḍa’s broader message of purification and detachment in sacred travel.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tyāga (renunciation) is recommended; no detailed ritual procedure is specified.