Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 96

Devanagari script

एवमाप्यायिता वत्स तेन चानेक । बांधवाः श्राद्धं कर्तुमशक्तिश्चेच्छाकैरपि हि जायते

Transliteration

evamāpyāyitā vatsa tena cāneka | bāṃdhavāḥ śrāddhaṃ kartumaśaktiścecchākairapi hi jāyate

Translation

So, liebes Kind, werden dadurch viele Verwandte genährt; und wahrlich, selbst wenn man außerstande ist, das Śrāddha ganz zu vollziehen, kann doch der fromme Vorsatz dazu entstehen und trägt Verdienst.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb)

• आप्यायिता: (she) was nourished/strengthened
• आप्यायिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप्यायि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वत्स: O child, dear one
• वत्स: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• तेन: by that, through that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक/conjunction)

• अनेक: many
• अनेक: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; (प्रयोगानुसार) पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• बान्धवाः: kinsmen, relatives
• बान्धवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बान्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

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

• कर्तुम्: to do, to perform
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana/Anukriya (Purpose/infinitival complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive/तुमुन्), अव्ययभाव

• अशक्तिः: inability
• अशक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Condition marker/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (शर्तसूचक/conditional particle)

• इच्छाकैः: with/through vegetables (greens)
• इच्छाकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इच्छाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्भावना/अपवाद/अपि = even/also)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/emphatic particle)

• जायते: arises, happens
• जायते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Unspecified (teacher addressing vatsa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder in a forest-kshetra (Dharmāraṇya) offers a modest śrāddha with simple leafy vegetables and water, while elders/ancestors are envisioned as subtly nourished; the teaching highlights the power of intention over opulence.

Characters & Entities

• Śrāddha
• Bāndhava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha supports extended kin, and sincere intention (saṅkalpa) matters, especially when resources are limited.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is the sacred framework emphasizing the power of dharmic intention and rite.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Even if full śrāddha is not possible, maintaining the will and striving toward proper performance is upheld.