Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

मृतो वर्षशतं साग्रं क्रीडित्वा च शिवे पुरे । राजा वा राजतुल्यो वा पश्चान्मर्त्येषु जायते

Transliteration

mṛto varṣaśataṃ sāgraṃ krīḍitvā ca śive pure | rājā vā rājatulyo vā paścānmartyeṣu jāyate

Translation

Après la mort, ayant joui durant cent années pleines dans la cité de Śiva, on renaît ensuite parmi les mortels en roi—ou l’égal d’un roi.

Word by Word

• मृतः: having died/dead
• मृतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (जीवः/सः) विशेषण

• वर्षशतम्: a hundred years
• वर्षशतम्: Karma (Extent/object of experience/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (शतं वर्षाणि)

• साग्रम्: and more (over and above)
• साग्रम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (अग्रेण सहितम् = अधिकम्)

• क्रीडित्वा: having sported/played
• क्रीडित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रीड् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• शिवे: in Śiva’s (holy)
• शिवे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; (पुरे) विशेषण

• पुरे: city
• पुरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• राजा: a king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Avyaya (Disjunction/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• राजतुल्यः: equal to a king
• राजतुल्यः: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समाना)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राजन् + तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (राज्ञा तुल्यः)

• वा: or
• वा: Avyaya (Disjunction/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kala-adhikarana (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• मर्त्येषु: among mortals/in the human world
• मर्त्येषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• जायते: is born
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (to Yudhiṣṭhira)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (implied source of phala)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visionary tableau: the soul enjoying in a radiant Śiva-purī for a hundred years, then descending to be born as a king; Śiva’s city appears luminous with temples and celestial gardens.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Śiva-pura (Śiva’s city)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Merit earned through tīrtha-dharma bears fruit beyond one life—granting heavenly joy and elevated rebirth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same Revā Khaṇḍa tīrtha context; its worship is said to lead to enjoyment in Śiva’s abode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new procedure; the verse describes the phala (result): Śiva-pura enjoyment and regal rebirth.