Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

पूर्वं ये समरे भग्ना विवृत्ताः सर्वतोदिशम् । ते मंत्रिमुख्या विश्वस्ता नायकाश्च समाययुः

Transliteration

pūrvaṃ ye samare bhagnā vivṛttāḥ sarvatodiśam | te maṃtrimukhyā viśvastā nāyakāśca samāyayuḥ

Translation

Diejenigen, die zuvor in der Schlacht geschlagen und in alle Richtungen zerstreut worden waren, kehrten nun zurück — die führenden Minister, die vertrauten Verbündeten und die Heerführer — und versammelten sich abermals.

Word by Word

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थे: पूर्वकाले (formerly/before)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धि-सर्वनाम = relative pronoun (those who)

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण = locative of place (in battle)

• भग्नाः: defeated, broken
• भग्नाः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भञ्ज् (धातु) → भग्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (broken/defeated)

• विवृत्ताः: turned away, scattered
• विवृत्ताः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत्त्/वृत् (धातु) → विवृत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (turned away/scattered)

• सर्वतः: from all sides
• सर्वतः: Adhikarana (Circumstantial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थे: सर्वदिक्-पर्यन्तम् (from all sides)

• दिशम्: direction
• दिशम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; दिशां प्रति (towards a direction)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संकेत-सर्वनाम = demonstrative pronoun (they/those)

• मन्त्रिमुख्याः: chief ministers
• मन्त्रिमुख्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मन्त्रिणां मुख्याः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तृपद

• विश्वस्ताः: confident, trusting
• विश्वस्ताः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्वस् (धातु) → विश्वस्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (confident/trusting)

• नायकाः: leaders, commanders
• नायकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तृपद

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

• समाययुः: came together, assembled
• समाययुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; गत्यर्थक क्रिया (they came/assembled)

Speaker

Narrator (context not specified in snippet; likely Purāṇic narrator within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A battlefield’s aftermath: dust settling, scattered banners, wounded soldiers returning; ministers and commanders arrive from different directions to a central pavilion, forming a renewed council around the youthful champion’s camp.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even after defeat and dispersion, dharma-oriented order is restored through unity, counsel, and disciplined leadership.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it functions as narrative context within the Brahmottarakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive, focusing on political and martial regrouping.