Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

गत्वा गयाशिरः पुण्यमेकैकस्य पृथक्पृथक् । श्राद्धं देहि महीपाल त्रयाणामपि सादरम्

Transliteration

gatvā gayāśiraḥ puṇyamekaikasya pṛthakpṛthak | śrāddhaṃ dehi mahīpāla trayāṇāmapi sādaram

Translation

Nachdem du zum heiligen Gayāśiras gegangen bist, o Beschützer der Erde, vollziehe das Śrāddha—für jeden einzeln—und tue es ehrfürchtig für alle drei.

Word by Word

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier of action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: गम्, अर्थे: पूर्वकर्म (having gone)

• गयाशिरः: Gayāśiras (the head/top of Gayā, sacred spot)
• गयाशिरः: Karma (Object) / Adhikaraṇa (Goal-place)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गयायाः शिरः = head/top of Gayā)

• पुण्यम्: holy, meritorious
• पुण्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying गयाशिरः)

• एकैकस्य: of each one
• एकैकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सामान्य), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व/समाहारार्थ प्रयोग: ‘each one’s’

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• पृथक्: each separately
• पृथक्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोग (emphatic repetition)

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

• देहि: give, perform (do)
• देहि: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महीपाल: O king (protector of the earth)
• महीपाल: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महीम् पालयति)

• त्रयाणाम्: of the three
• त्रयाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ

• सादरम्: respectfully, with reverence
• सादरम्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स + आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Māṃsāda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gayāśiras

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame typical) / within story: a king addressed as 'mahīpāla'

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A kingly pilgrim arrives at Gayāśiras with attendants and priests; three separate śrāddha settings are arranged—three kuśa-lined altars, piṇḍas, water-vessels, and offerings—performed with solemn reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Gayāśiras
• Śrāddha
• Mahīpāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage culminates in duty: honoring the departed through śrāddha at a sanctified place is upheld as a major dharmic act.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gayāśiras (a sacred locus at Gayā) is explicitly praised as puṇya (merit-bestowing).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform śrāddha at Gayāśiras, offering it separately for each individual, and do it reverently for all three.