Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

शमी शनैश्चरेणाथ स्वीकृता शूद्रजातिभिः । राहुणा स्वीकृता दूर्वा पितॄणां तर्पणोचिता

Transliteration

śamī śanaiścareṇātha svīkṛtā śūdrajātibhiḥ | rāhuṇā svīkṛtā dūrvā pitṝṇāṃ tarpaṇocitā

Translation

يا ربّ، شجرةُ شَمي يتخذها شَنَيْشْچَرا (زُحَل) وتتخذها أيضًا جماعاتُ الشودرَة. وعشبُ دُورفا يتخذه راهو، وهو صالحٌ لِلتَّرْپَنا، قربانِ الإرضاء للـپِتْرِ (الأجداد).

Word by Word

• शमी: the śamī tree/plant
• शमी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• शनैश्चरेण: by Śanaiścara (Saturn)
• शनैश्चरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शनैश्चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (particle: then/now)

• स्वीकृता: accepted/taken up
• स्वीकृता: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वी√कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे कर्तृ-निर्देशः तृतीयया

• शूद्रजातिभिः: by the Śūdra castes/communities
• शूद्रजातिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्रजाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शूद्रस्य जातिः)

• राहुणा: by Rāhu
• राहुणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वीकृता: accepted/taken up
• स्वीकृता: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वी√कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दूर्वा: dūrvā grass
• दूर्वा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूर्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• तर्पणोचिता: fit/suitable for tarpaṇa (oblations)
• तर्पणोचिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तर्पण + उचित (प्रातिपदिक); उचित < √वच्/√उच्? (प्रातिपदिक-रूप)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (तर्पणाय उचिताः/तर्पणोचितः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A river ghāṭ scene: a devotee offers tarpaṇa with cupped hands, dūrvā blades floating on water; nearby stands a śamī tree with a small lamp and black sesame offerings, symbolizing Śani; diverse pilgrims including śūdra communities participate respectfully.

Characters & Entities

• Śanaiścara (Saturn)
• Rāhu
• Śamī (tree)
• Dūrvā (grass)
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Śūdra-jātis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual materials are not random; specific plants are sanctified for particular cosmic powers and ancestral rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching belongs to a tīrtha-oriented chapter on sacred plants; no distinct place-name is stated in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Use dūrvā grass as appropriate for pitṛ-tarpaṇa; recognize śamī’s association with Śani (Saturn).