Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 88

Devanagari script

दावाग्निदाहका ये च सततं येऽसुहिंसकाः । न्यासापहारिणो ये च गरदाः स्वामिवञ्चकाः

Transliteration

dāvāgnidāhakā ye ca satataṃ ye'suhiṃsakāḥ | nyāsāpahāriṇo ye ca garadāḥ svāmivañcakāḥ

Translation

കാട്ടിൽ ദാവാഗ്നി കൊളുത്തി ദഹിപ്പിക്കുന്നവർ, നിരന്തരം ജീവഹിംസ ചെയ്യുന്നവർ, ഏൽപ്പിച്ച ന്യാസധനം അപഹരിക്കുന്നവർ, വിഷപ്രയോഗികൾ, സ്വന്തം സ്വാമിയെ വഞ്ചിക്കുന്നവർ।

Word by Word

• दावाग्निदाहकाः: those who set forest-fires / burners by wildfire
• दावाग्निदाहकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाव-अग्नि-दाहक (प्रातिपदिक; दाव + अग्नि + दाहक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘दावाग्निं दहन्ति’ इत्यर्थे

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

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

• सततम्: always
• सततम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावप्राय)
• Form: कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• असुहिंसकाः: killers of living beings
• असुहिंसकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असु-हिंसक (प्रातिपदिक; असु + हिंसक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘प्राणहिंसकाः’

• न्यासापहारिणः: embezzlers of deposits/trusts
• न्यासापहारिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्यास-अपहारिन् (प्रातिपदिक; न्यास + अपहारिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘न्यासं अपहरन्ति’

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

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

• गरदाः: poisoners
• गरदाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘विषप्रदाः/विषयोजकाः’

• स्वामिवञ्चकाः: deceivers of their masters
• स्वामिवञ्चकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामि-वञ्चक (प्रातिपदिक; स्वामिन् + वञ्चक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘स्वामिनं वञ्चयन्ति’

Speaker

Munis (continuation of catalogue)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A forest edge near a river: flames rising from arson; animals fleeing; a poisoner with a hidden vial; a thief taking a sealed deposit; a servant whispering deceit to a master; a sage/guardian figure stands as moral witness.

Characters & Entities

• Dāvāgni
• Nyāsa (deposit/entrustment)
• Garada (poisoner)
• Svāmi (master)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma protects life, trust, and social order; violence, arson, poisoning, and breach of trust are condemned as grievous harms.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is praised in this verse; it serves the Revā Khaṇḍa’s ethical instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it lists categories of wrongdoing.