Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

दुर्मृत्युना मृता ये च संग्रामेषु हताश्च ये । एकोद्दिष्टे सुतैर्दत्ते तेषां तृप्तिर्भविष्यति

Transliteration

durmṛtyunā mṛtā ye ca saṃgrāmeṣu hatāśca ye | ekoddiṣṭe sutairdatte teṣāṃ tṛptirbhaviṣyati

Translation

أولئك الذين ماتوا بموتٍ عسيرٍ أو قبل أوانه، وأولئك الذين قُتلوا في المعارك—إذا قدّم أبناؤهم إيكودِشْتا شرادها (Ekoddiṣṭa Śrāddha)، نشأ لهم الرضا والسكينة.

Word by Word

• दुर्मृत्युना: by a bad/untimely death
• दुर्मृत्युना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक; दुर् + मृत्यु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; instrumental singular (by/through an evil death)

• मृताः: dead (ones)
• मृताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त; √मृ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; past passive participle used adjectivally (those who have died)

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

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

• संग्रामेषु: in battles
• संग्रामेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; locative plural (in battles)

• हताः: slain
• हताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत (कृदन्त; √हन् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; past passive participle (slain)

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

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

• एकोद्दिष्टे: in the ekoddiṣṭa (funeral offering)
• एकोद्दिष्टे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकोद्दिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; एक + उद्दिष्ट)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; locative singular (in the ekoddiṣṭa rite)

• सुतैः: by sons
• सुतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; instrumental plural (by sons)

• दत्ते: when (it is) given/offered
• दत्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दत्त (कृदन्त; √दा (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; past passive participle agreeing with ekoddiṣṭe (when it is given/offered)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; genitive plural (of them)

• तृप्तिः: satisfaction
• तृप्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular (satisfaction)

• भविष्यति: will occur / will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; simple future (will be)

Speaker

Brahmā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A poignant tableau: souls of those fallen in battle and those dead by untimely fate are soothed as a son performs ekoddiṣṭa śrāddha—offering a single piṇḍa, water-libations, and food to a brāhmaṇa, with a protective sacred fire nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Sons (suta)
• Battle-slain (śastrahata/saṃgrāmahata)
• Victims of untimely death (durmṛtyu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma provides remedial rites: even for violent or untimely deaths, focused Śrāddha can bring peace and fulfillment to the departed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A specific location is not stated in this verse; the teaching is a ritual principle delivered within a Tīrthamāhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performing Ekoddiṣṭa Śrāddha (a single-dedication Śrāddha) by the sons for those who died untimely or were slain in battle.