Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

स्नात्वा संतर्प्य देवांश्च पितॄन्मातॄंस्तथैव च । श्राद्धं कृत्वा ततः पश्चात्पितृभ्यो विधिपूर्वकम्

Transliteration

snātvā saṃtarpya devāṃśca pitṝnmātṝṃstathaiva ca | śrāddhaṃ kṛtvā tataḥ paścātpitṛbhyo vidhipūrvakam

Translation

Nachdem man gebadet und durch Tarpana die Götter, die Väter und ebenso die Mütter gesättigt hat, soll man das Śrāddha vollziehen; danach bringe man den Pitṛs die Opfergaben nach vorgeschriebener Ordnung dar.

Word by Word

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकर्म

• संतर्प्य: having satisfied (with offerings)
• संतर्प्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप् (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग) + य (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); उपसर्ग: सम्; पूर्वकर्म

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कर्म (संतर्प्य)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पितॄन्: the fathers/ancestors
• पितॄन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कर्म (संतर्प्य)

• मातॄन्: the mothers/ancestresses
• मातॄन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कर्म (संतर्प्य)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (कृत्वा)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकर्म

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/अपादान-वाचक अव्यय (then/from that)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (afterwards)

• पितृभ्यः: to the ancestors
• पितृभ्यः: Sampradana (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), बहुवचन; सम्प्रदान (recipient)

• विधिपूर्वकम्: according to rule/properly
• विधिपूर्वकम्: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (विधिना पूर्वकम् → विधिपूर्वकम्); क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)

Speaker

Unspecified (narratorial voice within Revākhaṇḍa; likely addressing a king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Narmadā (Revā)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At sunrise after bathing, the devotee stands waist-deep in the river, offering water with cupped hands for devas and ancestors; on the bank, a simple śrāddha setup with darbha, piṇḍa materials, and a seated priest.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Pitṛs
• Mātṛs
• Śrāddha
• Narmadā (implied by context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma integrates devotion with gratitude—honoring devas and ancestors through prescribed offerings purifies the practitioner.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Narmadā/Revā tīrtha setting of Revākhaṇḍa, where bathing and tarpaṇa are especially meritorious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna, tarpaṇa to devas/pitṛs/mātṛs, and performing śrāddha with vidhi (proper procedure).