Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

श्रद्धयैव हि कर्त्तव्याः श्राद्धपिंडोदकक्रियाः । तथांतराले चास्माकं श्राद्धपिंडौ विशेषतः

Transliteration

śraddhayaiva hi karttavyāḥ śrāddhapiṃḍodakakriyāḥ | tathāṃtarāle cāsmākaṃ śrāddhapiṃḍau viśeṣataḥ

Translation

Wahrlich, die Riten des śrāddha—piṇḍa-Gaben und Wasserlibationen—müssen mit Glauben vollzogen werden. Und in jenem heiligen Zwischenraum hier sind unser śrāddha und unsere piṇḍa-Darbringungen besonders ausgezeichnet an Frucht.

Word by Word

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारणार्थ (only/indeed)

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (for/indeed)

• कर्तव्याः: to be done/should be performed
• कर्तव्याः: Vidhyartha (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• श्राद्धपिण्डोदकक्रियाः: the rites of śrāddha, piṇḍa and water-offering
• श्राद्धपिण्डोदकक्रियाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध + पिण्ड + उदक + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Manner adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), प्रकारवाचक (thus/likewise)

• अन्तराले: in the interval/at the intermediate time
• अन्तराले: Adhikarana (Location/occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तराल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• अस्माकम्: of us/our
• अस्माकम्: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• श्राद्धपिण्डौ: the two śrāddha-piṇḍas (two piṇḍa offerings in śrāddha)
• श्राद्धपिण्डौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध + पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Sambandha (Manner adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), विशेषणार्थ (especially)

Speaker

Brahmā (continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya (antarāla-viśeṣa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic ritual scene: a priest instructs a householder; both hold kuśa; piṇḍas and water offerings are arranged; a luminous boundary marks the ‘antarāla’; the devotee’s focused face conveys śraddhā.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Dharmāraṇya
• Śrāddha
• Piṇḍa
• Udaka (tarpaṇa/libation)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śraddhā (faithful intention) is essential; without it, ritual becomes hollow, while with it the tīrtha’s promised fruit manifests fully.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya’s sacred interval/zone (antarāla), previously linked to Śiva’s manifestation and Dharmmeśvara-pura.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform śrāddha rites—piṇḍa offerings and water-libations (udaka/tarpaṇa)—explicitly “with faith” (śraddhayā).