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

Those who had earlier been routed in battle and scattered in every direction now returned—chief ministers, trusted allies, and commanders—gathering once more together.

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.