Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 190

Devanagari script

हत्वा तु रावणं संख्ये सीतां पुनरवाप्तवान् । महालयस्य करणाद्धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः

Transliteration

hatvā tu rāvaṇaṃ saṃkhye sītāṃ punaravāptavān | mahālayasya karaṇāddharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ

Translation

യുദ്ധത്തിൽ രാവണനെ വധിച്ച് (രാമൻ) സീതയെ വീണ്ടും പ്രാപിച്ചു; അതുപോലെ മഹാലയം ആചരിച്ചതിലൂടെ ധർമ്മപുത്രൻ യുധിഷ്ഠിരനും സിദ്ധി/വിജയം നേടി।

Word by Word

• hatvā: having slain
• hatvā: Kriya (Prior action/क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: han (हन् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), √han; पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having slain)

• tu: then/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Contrast/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अन्वय/विरोधार्थक-अव्यय

• rāvaṇam: Rāvaṇa
• rāvaṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचनम्

• saṃkhye: in battle
• saṃkhye: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃkhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचनम्

• sītām: Sītā
• sītām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचनम्

• punar: again
• punar: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (again)

• avāptavān: obtained/recovered
• avāptavān: Kriya (Main predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-āp (आप् धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (perfect participle used as finite), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनम्; अर्थे: प्राप्तवान् (has obtained)

• mahālayasya: of Mahālaya
• mahālayasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahālaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम्

• karaṇāt: from performing (it)
• karaṇāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (हेतु/अपादान), एकवचनम्

• dharma-putraḥ: Dharma's son
• dharma-putraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma + putra (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धर्मस्य पुत्रः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचनम्

• yudhiṣṭhiraḥ: Yudhiṣṭhira
• yudhiṣṭhiraḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yudhiṣṭhira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahālaya (pitṛ-pakṣa) rite

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Split narrative tableau: on one side Rāma victorious over Rāvaṇa with Sītā restored; on the other Yudhiṣṭhira performing Mahālaya śrāddha with brāhmaṇas—both framed as ‘siddhi’ through dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Sītā
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Dharma (as father figure)
• Mahālaya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma validates Mahālaya by citing exemplary figures—sacred rites are linked with restoration, victory, and rightful success.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within Setukhaṇḍa (Setu Māhātmya), while drawing authority from Itihāsa figures rather than naming a specific tīrtha in the line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Mahālaya (Mahālaya śrāddha); it is presented as a cause of auspicious accomplishment, illustrated through famed exemplars.