Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

श्राद्धं प्रेतेषु ये पार्थ चाष्टम्यां पञ्चमीषु च । ब्राह्मणैश्च सदा योग्यैर्वेदपाठकचिन्तकैः

Transliteration

śrāddhaṃ preteṣu ye pārtha cāṣṭamyāṃ pañcamīṣu ca | brāhmaṇaiśca sadā yogyairvedapāṭhakacintakaiḥ

Translation

O Pārtha, wer das Śrāddha für die Verstorbenen vollzieht—am Aṣṭamī und ebenso am Pañcamī—unter würdigen Brāhmaṇas, die die Veden rezitieren und betrachten…

Word by Word

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite (funeral offering)
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रेतेषु: for/among the departed (spirits)
• प्रेतेषु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पार्थ: O Pārtha
• पार्थ: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• अष्टम्याम्: on the eighth (lunar day)
• अष्टम्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पञ्चमीषु: on the fifth (lunar days)
• पञ्चमीषु: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• ब्राह्मणैः: by/with Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• योग्यैः: fit/qualified
• योग्यैः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural) (ब्राह्मणैः इति विशेषणम्)

• वेद-पाठक-चिन्तकैः: (Brahmins) who recite the Veda and are contemplative
• वेद-पाठक-चिन्तकैः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + पाठक (प्रातिपदिक) + चिन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—द्वन्द्व (वेदपाठकाः च चिन्तकाः च)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (context continues)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (śrāddha-appropriate spot)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On a quiet riverbank, a householder performs śrāddha: darbha grass, piṇḍas, water libations; learned brāhmaṇas sit in a row reciting Veda; the mood is solemn, compassionate remembrance.

Characters & Entities

• Śrāddha
• Brāhmaṇa
• Veda
• Tīrtha (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Care for ancestors through śrāddha—performed with proper timing and qualified priests—is upheld as a key expression of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā/Narmadā tīrtha context of Adhyāya 72, where śrāddha gains amplified merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform śrāddha for the departed on Aṣṭamī and Pañcamī with worthy brāhmaṇas who are Veda-reciting and mindful.