Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 27
तत्र गत्वा तिलैस्तैस्त्वं तैः शाकैस्तैः कुशैस्तथा । श्राद्धं देहि द्रुतं येन मुक्तिः संजायते मम
tatra gatvā tilaistaistvaṃ taiḥ śākaistaiḥ kuśaistathā | śrāddhaṃ dehi drutaṃ yena muktiḥ saṃjāyate mama
اذهب إلى هناك، وقدّم سريعًا شعيرة الشرادها (śrāddha) بتلك الحبوب من السمسم، وتلك الخضرة، وتلك أعشاب الكوشا؛ لكي تنشأ لي النجاة والتحرّر.
A suffering departed spirit (preta) or afflicted being requesting rites (contextual within the narrative)
Tirtha: Plakṣa-mūla śrāddha-sthāna near Gāyāśiras (Hāṭakeśvara kṣetra)
Type: ghat
Listener: bhūpa (king)
Scene: Instructional moment: the preta urgently requests śrāddha; the king is shown gathering sesame, greens, and kuśa near the plakṣa tree, preparing offerings for liberation.
FAQs
Compassionate performance of śrāddha is presented as a direct means to relieve and liberate departed beings.
The tīrtha at/under the plakṣa tree (the setting for the later-famous kūpikā/well) where śrāddha is especially efficacious.
Perform śrāddha promptly using sesame (tila), greens (śāka), and kuśa/darbha grass gathered at the site.