Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

दशम्यां यस्तिथौ मर्त्यः श्राद्धंकुर्यान्महालयम् । शतकल्पसहस्राणि तृप्यंति पितरोऽस्य वै

Transliteration

daśamyāṃ yastithau martyaḥ śrāddhaṃkuryānmahālayam | śatakalpasahasrāṇi tṛpyaṃti pitaro'sya vai

Translation

Der Sterbliche, der am zehnten Tithi das Mahālaya-Śrāddha vollzieht—dessen Ahnen sind für hunderttausend Kalpas gesättigt.

Word by Word

• दशम्याम्: on the tenth (tithi)
• दशम्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तिथौ: on the lunar day (tithi)
• तिथौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• मर्त्यः: a mortal man
• मर्त्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Verbal action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• महालयम्: Mahālaya (rite)
• महालयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महालय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• शतकल्पसहस्राणि: thousands of hundreds of kalpas
• शतकल्पसहस्राणि: Karma (Extent/measure as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत + कल्प + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); परिमाणवाचक-समासः (measure/number compound): ‘शतकल्पानां सहस्राणि’ (thousands of hundreds of kalpas)

• तृप्यन्ति: are satisfied
• तृप्यन्ति: Kriya (Verbal action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पितरः: the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra / Setubandha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pitṛs in subtle luminous forms receive offerings and appear content, while cosmic time (kalpa cycles) is symbolized by revolving mandalas above the Setu shore.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Mahālaya
• Kalpa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A single properly timed śrāddha is magnified into vast merit, underscoring the Purāṇic vision of sacred time and duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu/Setukṣetra context; the verse extols the rite’s potency within this Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Mahālaya śrāddha on Daśamī for exceptional pitṛ-tṛpti (ancestral satisfaction).