Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 77
न तां गतिं यान्ति भृगुप्रपातिनो न दण्डिनो नैव च सांख्ययोगिनः । ध्वजाकुले दुन्दुभिशङ्खनादिते क्षणेन यां यान्ति महाहवे मृताः
na tāṃ gatiṃ yānti bhṛguprapātino na daṇḍino naiva ca sāṃkhyayoginaḥ | dhvajākule dundubhiśaṅkhanādite kṣaṇena yāṃ yānti mahāhave mṛtāḥ
Ils n’atteignent pas cette destinée—ni ceux qui tombent au précipice de Bhṛgu, ni les ascètes au bâton, ni même les yogins du Sāṅkhya—que, en un instant, atteignent ceux qui meurent dans une grande bataille, au milieu des étendards flottants et du fracas des tambours et des conques.
Śaṅkara (Śiva)
Tirtha: Bhṛgu-prapāta (as comparative reference)
Type: peak
Scene: A vast battlefield: fluttering dhvajas, conches and dundubhis sounding, warriors falling; at the moment of death, a luminous ascent of the fallen hero’s subtle form occurs instantly, while in side panels ascetics with daṇḍa and seated yogins are shown not reaching that same radiant path; a distant cliff labeled Bhṛgu-prapāta suggests another famed death-site.
FAQs
The Purāṇa elevates dharma-infused वीरमृत्यु (heroic death) as an exceptionally swift path to a high destiny.
Bhṛgu-prapāta is mentioned as a known austerity-site, but the verse’s thrust is the exalted gati of those dying in great battle (contextually tied to the preceding Daśāśvamedha discussion).
No ritual is prescribed; it is a merit-comparison between ascetic acts and death in a great battle.