Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

आक्रोशानर्थहिंसानां प्रतीकाराय यद्भवेत् । दीयतेऽनुपकर्तृभ्यो भयदानं तदुच्यते

Transliteration

ākrośānarthahiṃsānāṃ pratīkārāya yadbhavet | dīyate'nupakartṛbhyo bhayadānaṃ taducyate

Translation

Ce qui est donné comme contre-mesure à l’injure, au malheur ou à la violence—même à ceux qui n’ont rendu aucun service—est appelé « bhaya-dāna », le don face à la crainte.

Word by Word

• आक्रोश: abuse, outcry
• आक्रोश: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आक्रोश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन — ‘of abuses/insults’ (समासपूर्वपद)

• अनर्थ: harm, misfortune
• अनर्थ: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन — ‘of harms/misfortunes’ (समासपूर्वपद)

• हिंसानाम्: of violences/injuries
• हिंसानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिंसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• प्रतीकाराय: for remedy/retaliation
• प्रतीकाराय: Sampradana (Purpose/recipient; हेतु-अर्थे)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतीकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• भवेत्: may be/should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• दीयते: is given
• दीयते: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

• अनुपकर्तृभ्यः: from/to non-benefactors (those who do not help)
• अनुपकर्तृभ्यः: Apadana (Source/‘from’; also ‘to those who do not help’ by context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुपकर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), बहुवचन

• भयदानम्: giving fear; intimidation
• भयदानम्: Karta (Subject/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय + दान (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भयस्य दानम्)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A traveler or householder, facing imminent threat (bandits/hostile crowd), offers a small purse or provisions to avert violence; the act is shown as protective, not celebratory—calm restraint amid tension.

Characters & Entities

• Non-benefactors (anupakartṛ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Some giving is defensive—meant to avert harm—showing that motive (fear vs dharma) shapes the moral texture of charity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No sacred geography appears in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; it identifies gifts offered for appeasement or protection as bhaya-dāna.