Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 30
ब्राह्मणैः क्षत्रियैर्वैश्यैः शूद्रैरपि च संकरैः । यातव्यं प्रेतनिलये द्विजपुत्र महामते
brāhmaṇaiḥ kṣatriyairvaiśyaiḥ śūdrairapi ca saṃkaraiḥ | yātavyaṃ pretanilaye dvijaputra mahāmate
Par les brāhmaṇa, les kṣatriya, les vaiśya, les śūdra, et même ceux d’ordres mêlés—il faut aller à la demeure des défunts, ô sage fils d’un brāhmaṇa.
Munayaḥ (the sages)
Tirtha: Pretanilaya
Type: kshetra
Listener: Dvija-putra, mahāmati (wise brāhmaṇa’s son)
Scene: A diverse assembly—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and mixed groups—stand together at a single gateway labeled Pretanilaya; above, Yama’s emblem (daṇḍa/pāśa) signifies equal law; sages instruct a dvija youth in the foreground.
FAQs
Social identity does not prevent death; therefore one should pursue virtue and spiritual insight beyond mere status.
Setu/Rāmeśvaram remains the broader narrative setting, though the verse stresses a universal truth.
No explicit ritual is stated; the verse underscores the need for dharmic preparation for death.