Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 98

Devanagari script

अदत्त्वा दंशमशकैर्भक्ष्यन्ते जन्यसप्ततिम् । पितुर्द्रव्यापहर्तारस्ताडनक्रोशने रताः

Transliteration

adattvā daṃśamaśakairbhakṣyante janyasaptatim | piturdravyāpahartārastāḍanakrośane ratāḥ

Translation

Those who give nothing are tormented by biting insects and mosquitoes for seventy births. And those who steal their father’s wealth delight in beating and in wailing cries in the realms of punishment.

Word by Word

• अदत्त्वा: without giving
• अदत्त्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive) नकार-पूर्वक (negated): ‘not having given’

• दंश: gadflies/biting insects
• दंश: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; करण (समासाङ्ग)

• मशकैः: mosquitoes
• मशकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; करण

• भक्ष्यन्ते: are eaten/devoured
• भक्ष्यन्ते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः)

• जन्य: born/produced
• जन्य: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; (सप्ततिम् इति) स्त्रीलिङ्ग-द्वितीया-एकवचनानुगुण; ‘born/produced’

• सप्ततिम्: seventy (generations)
• सप्ततिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म (भक्ष्यन्ते)

• पितुः: of the father
• पितुः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• द्रव्य: property/wealth
• द्रव्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समासाङ्ग; ‘property/wealth’

• अपहर्तारः: stealers/robbers
• अपहर्तारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप-हृ (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त, कर्तरि)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक-तृन्त (agent noun); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्ता

• ताडन: beating
• ताडन: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताड् (धातु) + ल्युट् (कृदन्त)
• Form: भाववाचक-नाम (verbal noun) नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• क्रोशने: in crying/wailing
• क्रोशने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण (रताः)

• रताः: engaged/delighting
• रताः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Āvantya Khaṇḍa / māhātmya-style narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrthas (general Revākhaṇḍa frame)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two vignettes: (1) a stingy person swarmed by mosquitoes and biting insects across repeated births; (2) a son stealing father’s wealth, then shown in punitive realms amid cries and beatings.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It warns that neglect of dāna (charity) and violation of familial dharma (stealing a father’s property) lead to prolonged suffering; therefore one should cultivate generosity and righteousness, especially in a tīrtha context.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs within the Revā Khaṇḍa of the Āvantya Khaṇḍa, pointing to the sanctity of Revā-kṣetra (the Narmadā/Revā sacred region) where dharma and dāna are especially emphasized.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is named, but the passage functions as a phalaśruti-style injunction promoting dāna (giving/charity) and condemning apaharaṇa (theft), implying that giving at the Revā tīrtha is a key dharmic practice.