Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

स्वीयानां च परेषां च मृतानां सांपरायिकम् । अकरोद्विधिवद्विप्राः सार्धं धौम्या दिभिर्द्विजैः

Transliteration

svīyānāṃ ca pareṣāṃ ca mṛtānāṃ sāṃparāyikam | akarodvidhivadviprāḥ sārdhaṃ dhaumyā dibhirdvijaiḥ

Translation

Alors, selon la règle sacrée, les brāhmanes—avec Dhaumya et d’autres sages « deux fois nés »—accomplirent les rites funéraires pour les morts, les leurs comme ceux des ennemis.

Word by Word

• स्वीयानाम्: of (their) own
• स्वीयानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Genitive plural adjective)

• च: and
• च: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• परेषाम्: of others
• परेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Genitive plural adjective)

• च: and
• च: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• मृतानाम्: of the deceased
• मृतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त; √मृ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• सांपरायिकम्: funeral/after-death rite
• सांपरायिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांपरायिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्मपदम् (Accusative singular)

• अकरोत्: performed/did
• अकरोत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• विधिवत्: according to rule
• विधिवत्: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• विप्राः: Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अर्थक अव्यय (indeclinable meaning 'together with')

• धौम्यादिभिः: with Dhaumya and others
• धौम्यादिभिः: Sahakari (Instrument/Association/सह-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धौम्य + आदि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; धौम्य-आदि- ("Dhaumya and others")

• द्विजैः: with the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजैः: Sahakari (Instrument/Association/सह-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator

Visual Art Cues

Scene: After the war, brāhmaṇas led by Dhaumya conduct funerary rites for the fallen—offerings, water-libations, and fire-rites—performed impartially for both allies and foes amid a quiet, ash-strewn field.

Characters & Entities

• Dhaumya
• Brāhmaṇas (viprāḥ/dvijāḥ)
• The departed (mṛtāḥ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes compassion and proper rites for the dead—even enemies—affirming the soul’s journey and the duty of closure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Setukhaṇḍa’s sacred frame (Setu/Rāmeśvaram), the emphasis here is on dharmic post-war rites rather than a particular sub-tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sāṃparāyika rites (funerary ceremonies) performed vidhi-vat (according to injunction), akin to antyeṣṭi and subsequent śrāddha observances.