Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

सर्पव्यालहतानां च शृंगैरुद्बन्धनैरपि । एकोद्दिष्टं प्रकर्तव्यं चतुर्दश्यां नराधिप

Transliteration

sarpavyālahatānāṃ ca śṛṃgairudbandhanairapi | ekoddiṣṭaṃ prakartavyaṃ caturdaśyāṃ narādhipa

Translation

蛇や猛獣に殺された者、また角に突かれて死んだ者や縊死した者のためにも、王よ、チャトゥルダシー（陰暦十四日）にエーコッディシュタ・シュラーダ（単独供養の祖霊祭）を修すべきである。

Word by Word

• सर्प-व्याल-हतानाम्: of those killed by snakes and wild beasts
• सर्प-व्याल-हतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्प (प्रातिपदिक) + व्याल (प्रातिपदिक) + हत (कृदन्त, √हन् (धातु))
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) — ‘सर्पव्याल’ इति इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः; तेन हत इति तत्पुरुष-सम्बन्धः (समास-समूहः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शृंगैः: by horns
• शृंगैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृंग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• उद्बन्धनैः: by hanging/strangling (means)
• उद्बन्धनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्बन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• एक-उद्दिष्टम्: the single ekoddiṣṭa (rite)
• एक-उद्दिष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्दिष्ट (कृदन्त, उद्-√दिश् (धातु))
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) — कर्मधारयः ‘एकं च तत् उद्दिष्टम्’ (a single ekoddiṣṭa rite)

• प्रकर्तव्यम्: should be performed
• प्रकर्तव्यम्: Vidhi (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (predicative) — ‘should be done’

• चतुर्दश्याम्: on the fourteenth lunar day
• चतुर्दश्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• नराधिप: O king (lord of men)
• नराधिप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) — ‘नराणाम् अधिपः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; addressing narādhipa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: narādhipa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king listens as a priest instructs: ‘Caturdaśī—ekoddiṣṭa’; a śrāddha altar with darbha, piṇḍas, tila-water, and a named sankalpa; symbolic motifs of serpent and wild beast appear as small emblems, not graphic.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tradition teaches tailored rites for difficult deaths, affirming that dharma provides remedial pathways for the departed and the family.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; the focus is on śrāddha procedure and timing.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform an ekoddiṣṭa śrāddha on Caturdaśī for those who died by snake/beast attack, goring, or hanging.