Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

ततस्तु चन्दनादीनि दीपांतानि समाददेत् । ततः पाकं समादाय पृच्छेद्विप्रान्द्विजो त्तमान्

Transliteration

tatastu candanādīni dīpāṃtāni samādadet | tataḥ pākaṃ samādāya pṛcchedviprāndvijo ttamān

Translation

ثمّ يأخذ القرابين ابتداءً من الصندل وما شابهه إلى المصباح. وبعد ذلك، آخذًا الطعام المطبوخ المُعَدّ لشرادها (śrāddha)، على الثنائيّ الولادة أن يسأل البراهمةَ الأفاضل باحترام (طلبًا للإقرار وبيان الطريقة).

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम-अव्यय (thereafter)

• tu: then/indeed
• tu: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• candana-ādīni: sandalwood and the like
• candana-ādīni: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: candana (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; ‘चन्दनादि’ (sandalwood etc.)

• dīpa-antāni: ending with lamps (up to lamps)
• dīpa-antāni: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīpa (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (ending with lamps)

• samādadet: should take/collect
• samādadet: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√dā (दा/आ√दा धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम-अव्यय (thereafter)

• pākam: cooked food/meal
• pākam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• samādāya: having taken
• samādāya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√dā (दा/आ√दा धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• pṛcchet: should ask/invite (request)
• pṛcchet: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √prach (प्रच्छ् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• viprān: Brahmins
• viprān: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• dvijaḥ: the twice-born man
• dvijaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• uttamān: excellent/best
• uttamān: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Offerings are arranged: sandal paste, flowers, incense, and a lit lamp; nearby is a pot of cooked śrāddha food. A dvija bows slightly and consults seated senior brāhmaṇas for approval.

Characters & Entities

• Candana
• Dīpa
• Pāka (cooked food)
• Vipra
• Dvijottama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual merit is protected by humility and proper guidance—seeking the counsel of learned vipras is part of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues procedural instruction; it does not name a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Gather ritual items up to the lamp, take the prepared food, and consult qualified brāhmaṇas for the rite.