Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

भृत्यानामुपरोधेन यत्करोत्यौर्ध्वदैहिकम् । तद्भवत्यसुखोदकं जीवतोऽस्य मृतस्य च

Transliteration

bhṛtyānāmuparodhena yatkarotyaurdhvadaihikam | tadbhavatyasukhodakaṃ jīvato'sya mṛtasya ca

Translation

ଭୃତ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କୁ ବାଧା ଦେଇ ଓ ପୀଡ଼ା କରି ଯେ ଔର୍ଧ୍ୱଦେହିକ କର୍ମ କରାଯାଏ, ତାହା ‘ଦୁଃଖୋଦକ’ ହୋଇ ଜୀବନ୍ତ ଓ ମୃତ—ଦୁହିଁ ଅବସ୍ଥାରେ ଦୁଃଖ ଦିଏ।

Word by Word

• भृत्यानाम्: of servants/attendants
• भृत्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• उपरोधेन: by obstruction/pressure
• उपरोधेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपरोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• करोति: does/performs
• करोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• और्ध्वदैहिकम्: post-funeral rite (for the departed)
• और्ध्वदैहिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: और्ध्वदैहिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तत्: that (act/result)
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तद्-निर्देशक (correlative)

• भवति: becomes/turns into
• भवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• असुखोदकम्: water that gives no comfort (unpleasant water)
• असुखोदकम्: Karta (Subject complement/प्रथमा-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुख-उदक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (असुखस्य उदकम्)

• जीवतः: of the living (person)
• जीवतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present participle)

• अस्य: of this (person)
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• मृतस्य: of the dead (person)
• मृतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; भूतकाले कृदन्त (past participle)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājan (King)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder prepares śrāddha offerings while a distressed servant is obstructed or mistreated; the offered water turns symbolically dark, signifying ‘asukhodaka’, while ancestors appear unsatisfied in the background.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rituals lose merit when performed through injustice; ethical means are integral to spiritual benefit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is praised; the verse addresses the moral quality of śrāddha-related acts.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform aurdhvadaihika (post-death) rites without exploiting or harming servants/dependents.