Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

इङ्गुदैर्बदरैर्बिल्वैरक्षतैश्च जलेन वा । प्रेतानां कारयेच्छ्राद्धमानन्देश्वर उत्तमे

Transliteration

iṅgudairbadarairbilvairakṣataiśca jalena vā | pretānāṃ kārayecchrāddhamānandeśvara uttame

Translation

Am vortrefflichen Ānandeśvara soll man für die Verstorbenen das Śrāddha darbringen mit iṅguda-Früchten, Jujuben (badara), bilva-Früchten und ungebrochenem Reis — oder sogar nur mit Wasser.

Word by Word

• इङ्गुदैः: with iṅguda fruits
• इङ्गुदैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इङ्गुद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• बदरैः: with jujubes
• बदरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• बिल्वैः: with bilva fruits
• बिल्वैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• अक्षतैः: with unbroken rice grains
• अक्षतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• जलेन: with water
• जलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय (particle of alternative)

• प्रेतानाम्: of the departed spirits
• प्रेतानाम्: Sampradana/Artha (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान-अर्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• कारयेत्: should cause to be performed
• कारयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (optative/imperative sense), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative)

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

• आनन्देश्वर: O Ānandeśvara
• आनन्देश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (आनन्दस्य ईश्वरः)

• उत्तमे: O best (one)
• उत्तमे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying संबोधन)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānandeśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king addressed as Rājendra/Bhārata (likely Yudhiṣṭhira-type addressee in tīrtha-kathā frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at a riverside Śiva shrine (Ānandeśvara) performs śrāddha/tarpaṇa with a small leaf-bowl of water, akṣata, and simple fruits (iṅguda, badara, bilva) arranged on darbha; ancestors are envisioned receiving offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Ānandeśvara
• Śrāddha
• Pretas
• Bilva
• Akṣata
• Jala

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In a powerful tīrtha, sincerity matters more than abundance—ancestral rites may be effective even with minimal offerings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ānandeśvara-tīrtha, praised as an excellent place for śrāddha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śrāddha for pretas using fruits, akṣata, or even only water.