Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

स्वाध्यायी यज्ञयाजी च तपश्चांद्रायणा दिकम् । तिलोदकं पितॄणां च श्राद्धं च विधिपूर्वकम्

Transliteration

svādhyāyī yajñayājī ca tapaścāṃdrāyaṇā dikam | tilodakaṃ pitṝṇāṃ ca śrāddhaṃ ca vidhipūrvakam

Translation

—(فإنه يكون) مواظبًا على السْوادهْيَايَا، أي التلاوة والدراسة المقدّسة، وعلى إقامة اليَجْنَا؛ ومجتهدًا في الزهد كـ«تشاندرايانا» ونحوها؛ مقدِّمًا «تيلودَكَا» (ماء السمسم) للآباء الأسلاف؛ ومؤديًا «شرادها» على وفق القاعدة المقرّرة.

Word by Word

• svādhyāyī: one who studies the Veda (self-reciter)
• svādhyāyī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svādhyāyin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्तरि-प्रयोगे ‘स्वाध्यायं करोति’ इति अर्थे कर्तृवाचक-नाम

• yajñayājī: sacrifice-performer
• yajñayājī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajñayājin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (yajñasya yājī = performer of sacrifices)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• tapaḥ: austerity, penance
• tapaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मपद (object)

• cāṃdrāyaṇā: cāndrāyaṇa vows (lunar penance)
• cāṃdrāyaṇā: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cāṃdrāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural); ‘व्रतानि’ इत्यर्थे (cāndrāyaṇa-vows)

• ādikam: and the like, etc.
• ādikam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘आदि’ = ‘इत्यादि’ (etc.), पूर्वोक्तानां समाहार-निर्देशक

• tilodakam: sesame-water (libation)
• tilodakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tila + udaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (tilaiḥ yuktaṃ udakam = water with sesame)

• pitṝṇām: of the ancestors
• pitṝṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (for/of the ancestors)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• śrāddham: śrāddha rite (ancestral offering)
• śrāddham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मपद

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• vidhipūrvakam: according to proper procedure
• vidhipūrvakam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidhi + pūrvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (vidhinā pūrvakam = according to rule); ‘śrāddham’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Śiva (deduced from Mahādevī-addressed dialogue in this adhyāya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Interlocutor receiving the kṣetra’s observance-list

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim performs tarpaṇa with tila-water facing the sea/holy water, while learned brāhmaṇas recite; nearby, a simple śrāddha setting with offerings, and a separate vignette of svādhyāya and tapas (cāndrāyaṇa discipline).

Characters & Entities

• Svādhyāya
• Yajña
• Cāndrāyaṇa
• Pitṛ
• Śrāddha
• Tilodaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is fulfilled through dharma-practice: study, sacrifice, austerity, and honoring ancestors.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Prabhāsa sacred region where these rites are especially efficacious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Svādhyāya, yajña-performance, Cāndrāyaṇa-type austerities, tilodaka offerings, and vidhi-based śrāddha.