Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

नास्ति रक्षाप्रदः कश्चित्स्वर्गलोकस्य दुःखिनः । भयत्रस्तो ददावन्यद्वादित्राद्यप्सरोगणैः

Transliteration

nāsti rakṣāpradaḥ kaścitsvargalokasya duḥkhinaḥ | bhayatrasto dadāvanyadvāditrādyapsarogaṇaiḥ

Translation

“For suffering Svarga there is none who can grant protection.” Thus, shaken by fear, he bestowed other gifts as well—musical instruments and the like—together with companies of Apsarases.

Word by Word

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

• asti: is/exists
• asti: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• rakṣā-pradaḥ: giver of protection
• rakṣā-pradaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakṣā (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (प्रद प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण (adjective)

• kaścit: someone/anyone
• kaścit: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaścit (कश्चित् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular); अनिश्चितवाचक-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• svarga-lokasya: of the heaven-world
• svarga-lokasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन (singular)

• duḥkhinaḥ: of the afflicted/sorrowful one
• duḥkhinaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkhin (दुःखिन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण (adjective)

• bhaya-trastaḥ: frightened by fear
• bhaya-trastaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक) + trasta (त्रस् धातु-क्त participle)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) विशेषण

• dadau: gave
• dadau: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• anyat: something else
• anyat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (अन्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (singular)

• vāditra-ādi: musical instruments and the like
• vāditra-ādi: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāditra (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (आदि अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular); ‘आदि’समास (etc.)

• apsaraḥ-gaṇaiḥ: by groups of apsarases
• apsaraḥ-gaṇaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apsaras (अप्सरस् प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (गण प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन (plural)

Speaker

Narrator (describing Indra’s actions)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fearful celestial court where gifts are offered—apsarases and musical instruments presented as appeasement; the mood is tense beneath splendor.

Characters & Entities

• Svarga
• Apsarases
• Indra (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Protection (rakṣā) is ultimately rooted in dharma and divine grace; fear-driven concessions cannot restore true order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse concerns Svargaloka’s distress.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.