Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

कीटाः पिपीलिकाश्चैव ये चान्ये मृगपक्षिणः । कालेन निधनं प्राप्ताः स्वर्गद्वारे शृणु द्विज

Transliteration

kīṭāḥ pipīlikāścaiva ye cānye mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ | kālena nidhanaṃ prāptāḥ svargadvāre śṛṇu dvija

Translation

କୀଟ, ପିପୀଳିକା (ପିପିଲି) ଏବଂ ଅନ୍ୟ ମୃଗ-ପକ୍ଷୀମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ—ସ୍ୱର୍ଗଦ୍ୱାରରେ କାଳବଶେ ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ କରନ୍ତି; ଶୁଣ, ହେ ଦ୍ୱିଜ।

Word by Word

• kīṭāḥ: Worms
• kīṭāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kīṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• pipīlikāḥ: Ants
• pipīlikāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pipīlikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• ca: And
• ca: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• eva: Indeed/Also
• eva: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (Emphasis)

• ye: Who/Those
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• ca: And
• ca: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• anye: Others
• anye: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ: Animals and birds
• mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛgapakṣin (mṛga-pakṣin)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• kālena: By time/In due course
• kālena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• nidhanam: Death/Destruction
• nidhanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nidhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• prāptāḥ: Obtained/Reached
• prāptāḥ: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāpta (pra-āp)
• Form: Past Passive Participle, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• svargadvāre: At the gate of heaven
• svargadvāre: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svargadvāra (svarga-dvāra)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• śṛṇu: Listen
• śṛṇu: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Lot Lakara (Imperative), Madhyama Purusha (2nd), Singular

• dvija: O Twice-born (Brahmin)
• dvija: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (Sambodhana), Singular

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced; Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa dialogue style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Svargadvāra (Ayodhyā)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvija (a brāhmaṇa interlocutor addressed as ‘śṛṇu dvija’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On the Sarayū bank at Svargadvāra, tiny insects and ants, along with deer and birds, gather near a sanctified marker; a gentle radiance rises as time brings natural death, suggesting unseen uplift; a brāhmaṇa listener is addressed.

Characters & Entities

• Svargadvāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The purifying potency of a tīrtha is portrayed as affecting even non-human beings who die within its sacred boundary.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Svargadvāra in Ayodhyā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it underscores the place-based merit irrespective of species.