Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

ययुः स्वानि निकेतानि प्रेषिताः पद्मयोनिना । अमावास्यादिनं प्राप्य श्राद्धं दत्तं स्ववंशजैः

Transliteration

yayuḥ svāni niketāni preṣitāḥ padmayoninā | amāvāsyādinaṃ prāpya śrāddhaṃ dattaṃ svavaṃśajaiḥ

Translation

وقد أُرسِلوا من قِبَل «المولود من اللوتس» (براهما)، فمضَوا إلى مساكنهم؛ فلما أتى يوم «أمَاوَاسْيَا» قُدِّمت شرادها على يد نسلهم من ذريّتهم.

Word by Word

• yayuḥ: they went
• yayuḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धाातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• svāni: their own
• svāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• niketāni: abodes, dwellings
• niketāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niketa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• preṣitāḥ: having been sent
• preṣitāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√iṣ (धातु) + preṣita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्गम् (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• padmayoninā: by the lotus-born (Brahmā)
• padmayoninā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padma + yoni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुषः (padma-yoni = lotus-wombed), पुल्लिङ्गम् (masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचनम् (singular)

• amāvāsyā-dinam: the new-moon day
• amāvāsyā-dinam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amāvāsyā + dina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुषः (amāvāsyāyāḥ dinam), नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचनम् (singular)

• prāpya: having reached
• prāpya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-√āp (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः

• śrāddham: śrāddha rite
• śrāddham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचनम् (singular)

• dattam: given, offered
• dattam: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dā (धातु) + datta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (agreeing with śrāddham)

• svavaṃśajaiḥ: by their descendants
• svavaṃśajaiḥ: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva + vaṃśa + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुषः (sva-vaṃśa-ja = born in one’s own lineage), पुल्लिङ्गम् (masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचनम् (plural)

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pitṛs depart to their abodes, guided by Brahmā’s command; transition from celestial assembly to pitṛ-niketa; on earth, descendants prepare for Amāvāsyā śrāddha.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Padmayoni)
• Pitṛs
• Amāvāsyā
• Śrāddha
• Descendants

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ancestral welfare is tied to lineage responsibility; descendants uphold dharma through timely śrāddha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the emphasis is on Amāvāsyā timing and the ancestral realm narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer śrāddha on Amāvāsyā, performed by one’s lineage for the benefit of ancestors.