Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

विधिहीनं तु यच्छ्राद्धं दर्भेर्वा मूलवर्जितैः । वितस्तेरधिकैर्वापि तत्सर्वं ते भविष्यति

Transliteration

vidhihīnaṃ tu yacchrāddhaṃ darbhervā mūlavarjitaiḥ | vitasteradhikairvāpi tatsarvaṃ te bhaviṣyati

Translation

Doch jedes Śrāddha, das ohne die vorgeschriebene Ordnung vollzogen wird, oder mit Darbha-Gras ohne Wurzeln, oder gar mit Anordnungen, die das festgesetzte Maß (vitasti) überschreiten—all diese Fehler haften deinem Śrāddha an.

Word by Word

• विधिहीनम्: devoid of proper procedure
• विधिहीनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘विधिना हीनम्’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; adjective qualifying ‘श्राद्धम्’

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• श्राद्धम्: Śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma/Prameya (Object/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• दर्भैः: with darbha grass
• दर्भैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle)

• मूलवर्जितैः: deprived of roots
• मूलवर्जितैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्जित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; ‘मूलं वर्जितैः’ इति द्वितीया-तत्पुरुषः; adjective qualifying ‘दर्भैः’ (elliptic: दर्भैः मूलवर्जितैः)

• वितस्तेः: of a span (measure)
• वितस्तेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वितस्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• अधिकैः: exceeding (in length)
• अधिकैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; adjective (elliptic: दर्भैः ... अधिकैः)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक निपात (also/even)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; demonstrative (correlative to यत्)

• सर्वम्: all/entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; adjective to ‘तत्’

• ते: your/for you
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; possessive genitive

• भविष्यति: will become/shall be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Brahmā (contextual continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A śrāddha setting with a low altar, darbha spread incorrectly (rootless), measuring cord/hand-span (vitasti) shown as exceeded; the yajamāna looks anxious while a priest points to the fault.

Characters & Entities

• Śrāddha
• Darbha
• Vitasti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual integrity matters: correct materials and measured procedure reflect reverence toward ancestors and dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified; the focus is śrāddha-vidhi within the larger tīrtha narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform śrāddha according to vidhi; use proper darbha (with roots) and maintain prescribed measurements.