Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

ययुः स्वानि निकेतानि प्रेषिताः पद्मयोनिना । अमावास्यादिनं प्राप्य श्राद्धं दत्तं स्ववंशजैः

Transliteration

yayuḥ svāni niketāni preṣitāḥ padmayoninā | amāvāsyādinaṃ prāpya śrāddhaṃ dattaṃ svavaṃśajaiḥ

Translation

Vom Lotusgeborenen (Brahmā) ausgesandt, gingen sie in ihre eigenen Wohnstätten; und als der Tag der Amāvāsyā kam, wurde das Śrāddha von ihren eigenen Nachkommen dargebracht.

Word by Word

• yayuḥ: they went
• yayuḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धाातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• svāni: their own
• svāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• niketāni: abodes, dwellings
• niketāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niketa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• preṣitāḥ: having been sent
• preṣitāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√iṣ (धातु) + preṣita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्गम् (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• padmayoninā: by the lotus-born (Brahmā)
• padmayoninā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padma + yoni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुषः (padma-yoni = lotus-wombed), पुल्लिङ्गम् (masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचनम् (singular)

• amāvāsyā-dinam: the new-moon day
• amāvāsyā-dinam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amāvāsyā + dina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुषः (amāvāsyāyāḥ dinam), नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचनम् (singular)

• prāpya: having reached
• prāpya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-√āp (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः

• śrāddham: śrāddha rite
• śrāddham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचनम् (singular)

• dattam: given, offered
• dattam: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dā (धातु) + datta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (agreeing with śrāddham)

• svavaṃśajaiḥ: by their descendants
• svavaṃśajaiḥ: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva + vaṃśa + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुषः (sva-vaṃśa-ja = born in one’s own lineage), पुल्लिङ्गम् (masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचनम् (plural)

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pitṛs depart to their abodes, guided by Brahmā’s command; transition from celestial assembly to pitṛ-niketa; on earth, descendants prepare for Amāvāsyā śrāddha.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Padmayoni)
• Pitṛs
• Amāvāsyā
• Śrāddha
• Descendants

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ancestral welfare is tied to lineage responsibility; descendants uphold dharma through timely śrāddha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the emphasis is on Amāvāsyā timing and the ancestral realm narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer śrāddha on Amāvāsyā, performed by one’s lineage for the benefit of ancestors.