Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

पराङ्मुखाश्च हन्यंते पलायनपरायणाः । ते भवंति नराः प्रेता एतदाह पितामहः

Transliteration

parāṅmukhāśca hanyaṃte palāyanaparāyaṇāḥ | te bhavaṃti narāḥ pretā etadāha pitāmahaḥ

Translation

背を向けて逃走にのみ心を寄せ、そのまま討たれた者はプレータ（餓鬼）となる。これはピターマハ（ブラフマー）の宣言である。

Word by Word

• पराङ्मुखाः: turned away (from battle)
• पराङ्मुखाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराङ्मुख (प्रातिपदिक; पराङ् + मुख)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; nominative plural (those whose faces are turned away)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय; and

• हन्यन्ते: are killed
• हन्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि/आत्मनेपद (passive/middle): are slain

• पलायनपरायणाः: intent on flight
• पलायनपरायणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पलायन-परायण (प्रातिपदिक; पलायन + परायण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; nominative plural (devoted to fleeing)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; nominative plural (they)

• भवन्ति: become
• भवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; present (become/are)

• नराः: men
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; nominative plural (men)

• प्रेताः: departed spirits
• प्रेताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (कृदन्त; प्र + √इ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; nominative plural (departed spirits/ghosts)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular (this)

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह्/√ब्रू (धातु; आह = perfect of √अह् 'to say')
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; perfect (said)

• पितामहः: the Grandsire (Brahmā)
• पितामहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक; पिता + मह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular (the Grandsire, Brahmā)

Speaker

Narrator/Teacher (citing Brahmā as authority)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A warrior turns away in fear and is struck down; the narrative overlays a subtle preta-shadow motif, underscoring the consequence declared by Brahmā.

Characters & Entities

• Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• Preta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cowardice and panic at a decisive dharmic moment are framed as spiritually harmful, leading to an unsettled post-death condition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly motivates Ekoddiṣṭa/Śrāddha for such departed; the verse itself states their preta-state as the reason.