Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 154

Devanagari script

बहूदकस्य तीरे च प्रेतानुद्दिश्य दीयते । यत्किंचिदक्षयं तेषामुपतिष्ठेन्न चान्यथा

Transliteration

bahūdakasya tīre ca pretānuddiśya dīyate | yatkiṃcidakṣayaṃ teṣāmupatiṣṭhenna cānyathā

Translation

وكلُّ ما يُعطى على ضفّة باهُودَكا، قاصدًا به الأرواح الراحلة (البريتات)، يصير لهم غيرَ فانٍ؛ إنه يصل إليهم يقينًا، ولا يكون على غير ذلك.

Word by Word

• बहूदकस्य: of Bahūdaka
• बहूदकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहूदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; समासः—बहु + उदक (कर्मधारय)

• तीरे: on the bank
• तीरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• प्रेतान्: departed spirits; pretas
• प्रेतान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• उद्दिश्य: intending; dedicating to
• उद्दिश्य: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद् + दिश् (धातु) → उद्दिश्य (कृदन्त-अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having intended/for the sake of’

• दीयते: is given
• दीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (is given)

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक

• किंचित्: anything; something
• किंचित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)

• अक्षयम्: imperishable; inexhaustible
• अक्षयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (यत्/किंचित् इति)

• तेषाम्: of them (the pretas)
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• उपतिष्ठेत्: would accrue; would be present (to them)
• उपतिष्ठेत्: Kriya (Result/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + स्था (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bahūdaka

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the river’s edge, a performer of śrāddha offers water with sesame (tila) and kuśa, with a small piṇḍa plate nearby; subtle ancestral silhouettes receive the offering; the atmosphere is solemn, compassionate, and sacred.

Characters & Entities

• Bahūdaka
• Preta (departed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity dedicated to the departed at a powerful tīrtha becomes unfailing and enduring in its benefit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Bahūdaka tīra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Giving dāna ‘preta-uddiśya’—dedicated offerings for the departed/ancestors.