Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21
Devanagari script
राजोवाच । कर्मणा केन पितरो निरयस्था द्विजोत्तमाः । स्वर्गं यांति सुपुत्रेण तारिताः प्रोच्यतां स्फुटम्
Transliteration
rājovāca | karmaṇā kena pitaro nirayasthā dvijottamāḥ | svargaṃ yāṃti suputreṇa tāritāḥ procyatāṃ sphuṭam
Translation
রাজা বললেন—হে দ্বিজোত্তমগণ, কোন কর্ম বা বিধানে নরকে অবস্থানকারী পিতৃগণ সৎপুত্রের দ্বারা উদ্ধার পেয়ে স্বর্গে গমন করেন? স্পষ্ট করে বলুন।
Word by Word
राजाthe king
राजा:
Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootराजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
कर्मणाby what act/deed
कर्मणा:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
केनby which?
केन:
Visheshana (Interrogative qualifier)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम
पितरःthe ancestors (pitṛs)
पितरः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
निरय-स्थाःsituated in hell
निरय-स्थाः:
Karta (Subject-qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootनिरय (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘निरये स्थिताḥ’
द्विज-उत्तमाःO best of the twice-born
द्विज-उत्तमाः:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन/प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय — ‘उत्तमा द्विजाः’ (address)
स्वर्गम्to heaven
स्वर्गम्:
Karma (Goal/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootस्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
यान्तिgo
यान्ति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootया (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन
सुपुत्रेणby a good son
सुपुत्रेण:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootसु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय — ‘सु-पुत्रः’ = good son
तारिताःhaving been delivered/saved
तारिताः:
Karta (Subject-qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootतॄ (धातु)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)
प्रोच्यताम्let it be explained
प्रोच्यताम्:
Kriya (Injunction/विधि)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र- वच् (धातु)
Formलोट् (Imperative), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘let it be told’
स्फुटम्clearly
स्फुटम्:
Kriya-viseshana (Manner)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootस्फुटम् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)
Speaker
King (Rājā)
Characters & Entities
R
rājā (king)D
dvijottama (brāhmaṇas)P
pitaras (ancestors)S
svargaN
nirayaFAQs
One should actively seek the correct dharmic means to uplift ancestors, not rely on vague intention.
No tīrtha is named in this question; it introduces the topic of pitṛ-delivering ritual action.
The verse asks for the specific ‘karma’ (rite) that transfers ancestors from niraya to svarga.