Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

सङ्ग्रामे सद्गतिं तात क्षत्रियो निधने लभेत् । तदभावान्महाप्राज्ञ सेवमानो लभेदिति

Transliteration

saṅgrāme sadgatiṃ tāta kṣatriyo nidhane labhet | tadabhāvānmahāprājña sevamāno labhediti

Translation

ഹേ വത്സാ, യുദ്ധത്തില്‍ മരണം വരിക്കുന്നതിലൂടെ ക്ഷത്രിയന്‍ സദ്ഗതി പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു. ഹേ മഹാപ്രാജ്ഞാ, അതിനു സാധിച്ചില്ലെങ്കില്‍ സേവനത്തിലൂടെ അവനതു നേടാം.

Word by Word

• सङ्ग्रामे: in battle
• सङ्ग्रामे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• सत्-गतिम्: a good destiny
• सत्-गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सद्गति (प्रातिपदिक); सत् + गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• तात: O dear (son)
• तात: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• क्षत्रियः: a Kshatriya
• क्षत्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• निधने: in death (at the time of death)
• निधने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• लभेत्: may obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• तत्-अभावात्: from the absence of that
• तत्-अभावात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तदभाव (प्रातिपदिक); तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• महाप्राज्ञ: O greatly wise one
• महाप्राज्ञ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाप्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक); महा + प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• सेवमानः: serving
• सेवमानः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लभेत्: may obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Vacana-marker (Quotation/इत्यर्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (continuing reply)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (Narmadā tīrthas)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A kṣatriya in armor stands between a battlefield and a temple precinct by the Revā; the verse contrasts heroic death with humble service at a shrine.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Righteous fulfillment of one’s role—heroism in dharmic battle or sincere service—can lead to an auspicious destiny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named in this verse; it is a dharma instruction within the Revā Khaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not a ritual; it prescribes dharmic conduct: death in righteous battle, or devoted service when battle is not applicable.