Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

दुर्बलान्नैव पुष्णंति प्रणष्टार्था द्विषंति च । पीडयन्त्यभिचारेण सक्षतान्वाहयंति च

Transliteration

durbalānnaiva puṣṇaṃti praṇaṣṭārthā dviṣaṃti ca | pīḍayantyabhicāreṇa sakṣatānvāhayaṃti ca

Translation

彼らは弱き者を養わず、財を失えば憎しみに染まる。悪意の呪法の儀で他者を苦しめ、傷ついた者にさえ荷を負わせる—かかる者は重いアダルマに堕する。

Word by Word

• दुर्बलान्: the weak (people/creatures)
• दुर्बलान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• पुष्णन्ति: they nourish/support
• पुष्णन्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पुष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• प्रणष्ट: lost/ruined
• प्रणष्ट: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणष्ट (कृदन्त; √नश् (धातु) + प्र-; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• अर्थाः: wealth/means
• अर्थाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• द्विषन्ति: they hate
• द्विषन्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √द्विष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• पीडयन्ति: they torment/oppress
• पीडयन्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पीड् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• अभिचारेण: by sorcery/black magic
• अभिचारेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण (instrumental)

• स: with
• स: Sambandha (Prefix/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय-प्राय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश पूर्वपद (prefix-like) ‘स-’ = ‘सहित’

• क्षतान्: wounded
• क्षतान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षत (कृदन्त; √क्षद्/√क्षत्? ‘to wound’ → ‘wounded’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• वाहयन्ति: they drive/make (them) carry
• वाहयन्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वह् (धातु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative convention

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stark moral scene: a destitute man turns bitter, a practitioner performs dark abhicāra with a smoky fire, while nearby an injured person is forced to carry a load; a compassionate figure intervenes, offering support to the weak and stopping the harm.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma requires protecting the vulnerable; hatred, exploitation, and harmful occult practices are strongly condemned.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhicāra is mentioned only to condemn it; no positive ritual is prescribed.