Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

तत्पुण्यं लभते मर्त्यो नात्र कार्या विचारणा । कन्यागते सवितरि यः श्राद्धं कुरुते नरः

Transliteration

tatpuṇyaṃ labhate martyo nātra kāryā vicāraṇā | kanyāgate savitari yaḥ śrāddhaṃ kurute naraḥ

Translation

Der Sterbliche erlangt eben dieses Verdienst—hier gibt es keinen Anlass zum Zweifel. Wenn die Sonne in Kanyā (Jungfrau) eingetreten ist, erlangt der Mann, der Śrāddha (Ahnenritus) vollzieht, großen Lohn.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; निर्देश (demonstrative)

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• लभते: obtains
• लभते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

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

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• कार्या: to be done/necessary
• कार्या: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (predicative)

• विचारणा: consideration/deliberation
• विचारणा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कन्यागते: when (the sun) has entered Virgo (Kanyā)
• कन्यागते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कन्या-गते (कृदन्त; कन्या + गत)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी; गत (क्त) from √गम्, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग रूपेण अधिकरणे

• सवितरि: in the Sun (i.e., when the Sun is...)
• सवितरि: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

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

• कुरुते: performs
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; यः-सम्बन्धे अपोद्घात/अप्पोजिशन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Koṭitīrtha

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Koṭitīrtha, a householder performs śrāddha with kuśa grass and piṇḍa offerings; the sky subtly indicates Kanyā-saṅkrānti (Sun’s transition), while unseen pitṛs receive the offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Koṭitīrtha
• Kanyā-rāśi (Virgo)
• Savitar (Sun)
• Śrāddha
• pitṛ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right rite at the right time, performed in a tīrtha, yields assured merit beyond dispute.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Koṭitīrtha, where the promised comprehensive merit is said to be certainly obtained.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform śrāddha when the Sun is in Kanyā (Virgo), within the Koṭitīrtha context.