Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

अदत्त्वा गां च ये मर्त्या म्रियंते द्विजसत्तम । तीर्त्वा हस्तादिभिर्दुर्गा त इमां संतरंति च

Transliteration

adattvā gāṃ ca ye martyā mriyaṃte dvijasattama | tīrtvā hastādibhirdurgā ta imāṃ saṃtaraṃti ca

Translation

Ô meilleur des deux-fois-nés, les mortels qui meurent sans avoir donné une vache traversent ce passage difficile par leurs propres mains et autres moyens, luttant pour atteindre l’autre rive.

Word by Word

• अदत्त्वा: without giving
• अदत्त्वा: Purvakala (Absolutive/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अ- + √दा (धातु) → दत्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: निषेध-पूर्वक क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); “without giving”

• गाम्: a cow
• गाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Accusative singular

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

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — Relative pronoun “who”

• मर्त्याः: mortals
• मर्त्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — Nominative plural

• म्रियन्ते: they die
• म्रियन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन — “they die”

• द्विजसत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयार्थः — “best among the twice-born”

• तीर्त्वा: having crossed
• तीर्त्वा: Purvakala (Absolutive/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √तॄ (धातु) → तीर्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); “having crossed”

• हस्तादिभिः: with hands and the like
• हस्तादिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव-न (न), ‘आदि’समासान्त; अर्थः “with hands etc.”

• दुर्गाः: difficult passages/obstacles
• दुर्गाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd) बहुवचन (पाठानुसार); “difficult (places/obstacles)” as object of ‘तीर्त्वा’

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — “they/those”

• इमाम्: this (one)
• इमाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — “this” (accusative)

• सन्तरन्ति: they cross over
• सन्तरन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन — “they cross over”

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

Speaker

Yama

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: river (mythic crossing)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvija-sattama / dvija-uttama

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tormented soul struggles in a dark, turbulent river, clawing forward with hands; on the far side, those aided by a cow’s tail cross calmly, highlighting contrast between merit and neglect.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Vaitaraṇī
• Go-dāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma practiced through generosity becomes real support; neglecting it makes the soul’s passage arduous.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse continues the afterlife teaching centered on the Vaitaraṇī river.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly recommends go-dāna by contrasting ease for donors with hardship for non-donors.