Previous Verse
Next Verse

Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 98

अदत्त्वा दंशमशकैर्भक्ष्यन्ते जन्यसप्ततिम् । पितुर्द्रव्यापहर्तारस्ताडनक्रोशने रताः

adattvā daṃśamaśakairbhakṣyante janyasaptatim | piturdravyāpahartārastāḍanakrośane ratāḥ

Ceux qui ne donnent rien sont tourmentés par des insectes piqueurs et des moustiques durant soixante-dix naissances. Et ceux qui dérobent les biens de leur père se complaisent dans les coups et les cris de plainte dans les lieux de châtiment.

अदत्त्वाwithout giving
अदत्त्वा:
Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive) नकार-पूर्वक (negated): ‘not having given’
दंशgadflies/biting insects
दंश:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootदंश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; करण (समासाङ्ग)
मशकैःmosquitoes
मशकैः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootमशक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; करण
भक्ष्यन्तेare eaten/devoured
भक्ष्यन्ते:
Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभक्ष् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः)
जन्यborn/produced
जन्य:
Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootजन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formविशेषण; (सप्ततिम् इति) स्त्रीलिङ्ग-द्वितीया-एकवचनानुगुण; ‘born/produced’
सप्ततिम्seventy (generations)
सप्ततिम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसप्तति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म (भक्ष्यन्ते)
पितुःof the father
पितुः:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध
द्रव्यproperty/wealth
द्रव्य:
Sambandha (Genitive relation within compound)
TypeNoun
Rootद्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समासाङ्ग; ‘property/wealth’
अपहर्तारःstealers/robbers
अपहर्तारः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअप-हृ (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त, कर्तरि)
Formकर्तृवाचक-तृन्त (agent noun); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्ता
ताडनbeating
ताडन:
Sambandha (Compound member)
TypeNoun
Rootताड् (धातु) + ल्युट् (कृदन्त)
Formभाववाचक-नाम (verbal noun) नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग
क्रोशनेin crying/wailing
क्रोशने:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootक्रोशन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण (रताः)
रताःengaged/delighting
रताः:
Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootरत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

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

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

Type: kshetra

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

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.

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.

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.