Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

भगवञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि श्राद्धकल्पमहं यतः । दृश्यंते बहवो भेदा द्विजानां श्राद्धकर्मणि

Transliteration

bhagavañchrotumicchāmi śrāddhakalpamahaṃ yataḥ | dṛśyaṃte bahavo bhedā dvijānāṃ śrāddhakarmaṇi

Translation

يا أيها المبارك، أودّ أن أسمع الطريقة الصحيحة لإقامة شعائر الشرادها (śrāddha)؛ إذ تُرى بين ذوي الميلادين اختلافات كثيرة في أداء أعمال الشرادها.

Word by Word

• भगवन्: O Lord / venerable one
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), क्रियार्थक-अव्ययभाव

• इच्छामि: I wish/desire
• इच्छामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• श्राद्धकल्पम्: the procedure/rite of śrāddha
• श्राद्धकल्पम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध-कल्प (प्रातिपदिक; श्राद्ध + कल्प)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (श्राद्धस्य कल्पः)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• यतः: because/since
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक (causal)

• दृश्यन्ते: are seen/appear
• दृश्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (भेदाः इति)

• भेदाः: differences/varieties
• भेदाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• द्विजानाम्: of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• श्राद्धकर्मणि: in the śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धकर्मणि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध-कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; श्राद्ध + कर्मन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (श्राद्धस्य कर्म)

Speaker

Rohitāśva (implied from preceding verse)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mārkaṇḍeya (addressed as Bhagavan; explicit next verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king respectfully requests a definitive śrāddha procedure, expressing concern about many differing practices; the sage listens with compassionate seriousness.

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavān
• Dvija

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rituals should be grounded in right understanding; apparent diversity calls for clear dhārmic determination.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it frames a dharma-question within the Mahātmya section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The request is for śrāddha-kalpa (the correct method of performing śrāddha).