Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

नास्ति रक्षाप्रदः कश्चित्स्वर्गलोकस्य दुःखिनः । भयत्रस्तो ददावन्यद्वादित्राद्यप्सरोगणैः

Transliteration

nāsti rakṣāpradaḥ kaścitsvargalokasya duḥkhinaḥ | bhayatrasto dadāvanyadvāditrādyapsarogaṇaiḥ

Translation

ದುಃಖಿತ ಸ್ವರ್ಗಲೋಕಕ್ಕೆ ರಕ್ಷೆ ನೀಡುವವನು ಯಾರೂ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಭಯದಿಂದ ತತ್ತರಿಸಿ ಅವನು ಅಪ್ಸರಾಗಣಗಳೊಂದಿಗೆ ವಾದ್ಯಾದಿ ಇತರ ವಸ್ತುಗಳನ್ನೂ ದಾನಮಾಡಿದನು.

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.