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Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 60

अदत्त्वा गां च ये मर्त्या म्रियंते द्विजसत्तम । तीर्त्वा हस्तादिभिर्दुर्गा त इमां संतरंति च

adattvā gāṃ ca ye martyā mriyaṃte dvijasattama | tīrtvā hastādibhirdurgā ta imāṃ saṃtaraṃti ca

Wahai yang terbaik antara yang dua kali lahir, para insan yang mati tanpa mendermakan lembu akan menyeberangi (sungai) yang sukar ini dengan tangan sendiri dan seumpamanya, bergelut hingga berhasil menyeberang.

अदत्त्वाwithout giving
अदत्त्वा:
Purvakala (Absolutive/पूर्वकाल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअ- + √दा (धातु) → दत्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
Formनिषेध-पूर्वक क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); “without giving”
गाम्a cow
गाम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootगो (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Accusative singular
and
:
Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)
येwho
ये:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — Relative pronoun “who”
मर्त्याःmortals
मर्त्याः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — Nominative plural
म्रियन्तेthey die
म्रियन्ते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√मृ (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन — “they die”
द्विजसत्तमO best of the twice-born
द्विजसत्तम:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयार्थः — “best among the twice-born”
तीर्त्वाhaving crossed
तीर्त्वा:
Purvakala (Absolutive/पूर्वकाल)
TypeIndeclinable
Root√तॄ (धातु) → तीर्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); “having crossed”
हस्तादिभिःwith hands and the like
हस्तादिभिः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootहस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव-न (न), ‘आदि’समासान्त; अर्थः “with hands etc.”
दुर्गाःdifficult passages/obstacles
दुर्गाः:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootदुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd) बहुवचन (पाठानुसार); “difficult (places/obstacles)” as object of ‘तीर्त्वा’
तेthey/those
ते:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — “they/those”
इमाम्this (one)
इमाम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — “this” (accusative)
सन्तरन्तिthey cross over
सन्तरन्ति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-√तॄ (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन — “they cross over”
and
:
Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Yama

Type: river (mythic crossing)

Listener: Dvija-sattama / dvija-uttama

Scene: A tormented soul struggles in a dark, turbulent river, clawing forward with hands; on the far side, those aided by a cow’s tail cross calmly, highlighting contrast between merit and neglect.

Y
Yama
V
Vaitaraṇī
G
Go-dāna

FAQs

Dharma practiced through generosity becomes real support; neglecting it makes the soul’s passage arduous.

None; the verse continues the afterlife teaching centered on the Vaitaraṇī river.

Implicitly recommends go-dāna by contrasting ease for donors with hardship for non-donors.