Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 6
यः श्राद्धे अभयं दद्यात्प्राणिनां जीवितैषिणाम् । अश्वदानसहस्रेण रथदानशतेन च । दन्तिनां च सहस्रेण अभयं च विशिष्यते
yaḥ śrāddhe abhayaṃ dadyātprāṇināṃ jīvitaiṣiṇām | aśvadānasahasreṇa rathadānaśatena ca | dantināṃ ca sahasreṇa abhayaṃ ca viśiṣyate
ശ്രാദ്ധകാലത്ത് ജീവിക്കാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്ന പ്രാണികൾക്ക് ആരെങ്കിലും അഭയദാനം നൽകുകയാണെങ്കിൽ, ആ സംരക്ഷണദാനം ശ്രേഷ്ഠം—ആയിരം അശ്വദാനം, നൂറ് രഥദാനം, ആയിരം ഗജദാനം എന്നിവയെക്കാളും മേന്മയുള്ളത്।
Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya narration style within Skanda Purāṇa)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: A śrāddha setting in Prabhāsa: a householder offers water and piṇḍa, while simultaneously granting ‘abhaya’—releasing a bound animal or protecting frightened beings; in the background, symbolic royal gifts (horses, chariots, elephants) appear diminished compared to the radiant aura of protection.
FAQs
Non-violence and protection—granting safety to beings—is portrayed as a charity greater than lavish material donations.
The instruction belongs to Prabhāsa Kṣetra’s māhātmya, where śrāddha ethics and merits are magnified.
Abhaya-dāna in connection with śrāddha: ensuring living beings are unharmed and secure.