Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

रसभेदी कृतघ्नश्च स्वामिध्रुङ्मित्रवञ्चकः । गोघ्नश्च गरदश्चैव कन्याविक्रयकारकः

Transliteration

rasabhedī kṛtaghnaśca svāmidhruṅmitravañcakaḥ | goghnaśca garadaścaiva kanyāvikrayakārakaḥ

Translation

Même celui qui trahit la confiance, se montre ingrat, trompe son maître et son ami, tue des vaches, administre du poison, ou fait commerce de la vente d’une jeune fille—

Word by Word

• रसभेदी: one who divulges secrets (lit. splitter of essence)
• रसभेदी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रस (प्रातिपदिक) + भिद् (धातु) → भेदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; इन्-प्रत्ययान्त; तत्पुरुषः (रसस्य भेदी)

• कृतघ्नः: ingrate
• कृतघ्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कृतं हन्ति/उपकारं न जानाति)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• स्वामिध्रुक्: betrayer of one’s master
• स्वामिध्रुक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामि (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्रुच्/ध्रुह् (धातु/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्वामिनं द्रुह्यति); रूपम्: ध्रुक् (क्-प्रत्ययान्त)

• मित्रवञ्चकः: deceiver of friends
• मित्रवञ्चकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वञ्चक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मित्रं वञ्चयति)

• गोघ्नः: cow-killer
• गोघ्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गां हन्ति)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• गरदः: poisoner (one who uses poison)
• गरदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• कन्याविक्रयकारकः: one who causes/sells a maiden (arranges sale of a girl)
• कन्याविक्रयकारकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्रय (प्रातिपदिक) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (कन्यायाः विक्रयस्य कारकः)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice within Revā Khaṇḍa; traditionally Sūta-like narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-mahātmya (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau showing shadowy figures representing the listed sins—betrayer, poisoner, cow-killer, deceiver—contrasted with a luminous path of purification (river/tirtha light) in the background, implying hope beyond wrongdoing.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text sets up a catalogue of severe wrongdoing to emphasize the extraordinary purifying power associated with Narmadā devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Revā/Narmadā is the implied purifier whose māhātmya is being extolled.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The prescription is continued in the next verses: hearing/serving the Narmadā narrative as a means of purification.