Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 89

Devanagari script

दुरोदरघ्नी दावार्चिर्द्रवद्रव्यैकशेवधिः । दीनसंतापशमनी दात्री दवथुवैरिणी

Transliteration

durodaraghnī dāvārcirdravadravyaikaśevadhiḥ | dīnasaṃtāpaśamanī dātrī davathuvairiṇī

Translation

ಅವಳು ದುರ್ಭಾಗ್ಯ-ವಿನಾಶವನ್ನು ನಾಶಮಾಡುವವಳು; ಅಧರ್ಮದ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ದಾವಾಗ್ನಿಯಂತೆ ಜ್ವಲಿಸುವವಳು. ಅವಳು ಹರಿಯುವ ದ್ರವ್ಯ-ಸಂಪತ್ತಿನ ಏಕೈಕ ನಿಧಿ; ದೀನರ ಸಂತಾಪ ಶಮನಕರಿ, ದಾತ್ರೀ, ದಾಹಜ್ವರ-ಪೀಡೆಯ ವೈರಿಣಿ.

Word by Word

• दुरोदरघ्नी: destroyer of vice (durodara)
• दुरोदरघ्नी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुरोदर (प्रातिपदिक) + घ्नि (प्रातिपदिक; √हन् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (दुरोदरं घ्नन्ती = slayer of gambling/evil belly)

• दावार्चिः: flame of a forest fire
• दावार्चिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाव (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (अर्चिस्), प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (दावस्य अर्चिः = flame of forest-fire)

• द्रवत्: liquid, flowing
• द्रवत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रु/द्रव् (धातु) → द्रवत् (कृदन्त/शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), समासाङ्ग; ‘flowing/liquid’ (पूर्वपद)

• द्रव्य: substance, wealth
• द्रव्य: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (substance/wealth)

• एक: single, one
• एक: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग; ‘single/one’ (पूर्वपद)

• शेवधिः: treasure, store
• शेवधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेवधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (द्रवत्-द्रव्य-एक-शेवधिः = sole treasure of liquid wealth)

• दीन: distressed
• दीन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग; ‘poor/distressed’ (पूर्वपद)

• संताप: affliction
• संताप: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संताप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (affliction)

• शमनी: pacifier of the distressed’ suffering
• शमनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शमनी (प्रातिपदिक; √शम् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (दीनसंतापं शमयति इति)

• दात्री: giver
• दात्री: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दातृ (प्रातिपदिक; √दा धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-तृच् प्रत्ययान्त (giver)

• दवथुवैरिणी: enemy of burning pain/fever
• दवथुवैरिणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दवथु (प्रातिपदिक) + वैरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (दवथोः वैरिणी = enemy of burning/feverish heat)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśī-khaṇḍa context, commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā in Kāśī

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Purāṇa audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gaṅgā as fierce protective flame against evil yet tenderly blessing the poor; on the ghāṭa, devotees distribute food and coins; a fevered sufferer is soothed by sacred water.

Characters & Entities

• Devī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine grace is portrayed as both protective and restorative—removing misfortune, easing poverty, and dispelling affliction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to the Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s praise-context, linking the Goddess’s beneficence to Kāśī’s sacred field.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the theme supports dāna (giving) and compassionate support of the distressed.