Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

दुर्मृत्युना मृता ये च संग्रामेषु हताश्च ये । एकोद्दिष्टे सुतैर्दत्ते तेषां तृप्तिर्भविष्यति

Transliteration

durmṛtyunā mṛtā ye ca saṃgrāmeṣu hatāśca ye | ekoddiṣṭe sutairdatte teṣāṃ tṛptirbhaviṣyati

Translation

ദുർമൃത്യുവാൽ മരിച്ചവരും യുദ്ധങ്ങളിൽ ഹതരായവരും—അവരുടെ പുത്രന്മാർ ഏകോദ്ദിഷ്ട ശ്രാദ്ധം അർപ്പിച്ചാൽ അവർക്കു തൃപ്തിയും ശാന്തിയും ലഭിക്കും.

Word by Word

• दुर्मृत्युना: by a bad/untimely death
• दुर्मृत्युना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक; दुर् + मृत्यु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; instrumental singular (by/through an evil death)

• मृताः: dead (ones)
• मृताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त; √मृ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; past passive participle used adjectivally (those who have died)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; relative pronoun (who)

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

• संग्रामेषु: in battles
• संग्रामेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; locative plural (in battles)

• हताः: slain
• हताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत (कृदन्त; √हन् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; past passive participle (slain)

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

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; relative pronoun (who)

• एकोद्दिष्टे: in the ekoddiṣṭa (funeral offering)
• एकोद्दिष्टे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकोद्दिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; एक + उद्दिष्ट)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; locative singular (in the ekoddiṣṭa rite)

• सुतैः: by sons
• सुतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; instrumental plural (by sons)

• दत्ते: when (it is) given/offered
• दत्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दत्त (कृदन्त; √दा (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; past passive participle agreeing with ekoddiṣṭe (when it is given/offered)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; genitive plural (of them)

• तृप्तिः: satisfaction
• तृप्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular (satisfaction)

• भविष्यति: will occur / will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; simple future (will be)

Speaker

Brahmā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A poignant tableau: souls of those fallen in battle and those dead by untimely fate are soothed as a son performs ekoddiṣṭa śrāddha—offering a single piṇḍa, water-libations, and food to a brāhmaṇa, with a protective sacred fire nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Sons (suta)
• Battle-slain (śastrahata/saṃgrāmahata)
• Victims of untimely death (durmṛtyu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma provides remedial rites: even for violent or untimely deaths, focused Śrāddha can bring peace and fulfillment to the departed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A specific location is not stated in this verse; the teaching is a ritual principle delivered within a Tīrthamāhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performing Ekoddiṣṭa Śrāddha (a single-dedication Śrāddha) by the sons for those who died untimely or were slain in battle.