Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

पितर ऊचुः । वयं हि पितरः ख्याता मनुष्याणामिहागताः । स्वर्गे स्वकर्मणा नित्यं निवसाम सुरैः सह

Transliteration

pitara ūcuḥ | vayaṃ hi pitaraḥ khyātā manuṣyāṇāmihāgatāḥ | svarge svakarmaṇā nityaṃ nivasāma suraiḥ saha

Translation

Die Pitṛ sprachen: „Wahrlich, wir sind als die Pitṛ bekannt; wir sind um der Menschen willen hierher gekommen. Im Himmel wohnen wir, durch die Kraft unserer eigenen Verdienste, ewig zusammen mit den Göttern.“

Word by Word

• pitaraḥ: the Fathers (Pitṛs)
• pitaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitar (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्; √vac → ūcuḥ

• vayam: we
• vayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• pitaraḥ: Fathers (Pitṛs)
• pitaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitar (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; पुनरुक्त-उपपादनम्

• khyātāḥ: known, renowned
• khyātāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khyāta (कृदन्त; √khyā (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• manuṣyāṇām: of humans
• manuṣyāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manuṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• iha: here
• iha: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (adverb of place)

• āgatāḥ: having come, arrived
• āgatāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āgata (कृदन्त; √gam (धातु) क्त, ā-उपसर्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘arrived/come’

• svarge: in heaven
• svarge: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• sva-karmaṇā: by (our) own deeds
• sva-karmaṇā: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘one’s own’ + ‘deed’); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental), एकवचनम्

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative: always)

• nivasāma: we dwell
• nivasāma: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-vas (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), उत्तम-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• suraiḥ: with the gods
• suraiḥ: Sahakari (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahakari (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (postposition; ‘with’)

Speaker

Pitṛs

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The pitṛs speak authoritatively, identifying themselves and describing their eternal residence in svarga with the gods; a luminous celestial court contrasts with the earthly tīrtha below.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Devas (Suras)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pitṛs are exalted beings sustained by karma and merit, and they engage with the human realm for human benefit and dharmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it is part of a larger tīrtha-glorification chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription here; it provides theological context for why Pitṛ worship (śrāddha/tarpaṇa) is meaningful.