Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

विभक्तिरहितं श्राद्धं तथा मौनविवर्जितम् । दक्षिणारहितं यच्च तच्छ्राद्धं व्यर्थतां व्रजेत्

Transliteration

vibhaktirahitaṃ śrāddhaṃ tathā maunavivarjitam | dakṣiṇārahitaṃ yacca tacchrāddhaṃ vyarthatāṃ vrajet

Translation

Ein Śrāddha ohne rechte Zuteilung der Anteile, ebenso ohne das vorgeschriebene Schweigen und die Zügelung, oder ohne Darbringung von dakṣiṇā—ein solches Śrāddha wird fruchtlos.

Word by Word

• vibhakti-rahitam: devoid of proper divisions/portions (vibhakti)
• vibhakti-rahitam: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vibhakti (प्रातिपदिक) + rahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (विभक्त्या रहितम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘श्राद्धम्’ विशेषण

• śrāddham: śrāddha rite
• śrāddham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• tathā: likewise, also
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/समुच्चयवाचक अव्यय (likewise/also)

• mauna-vivarjitam: lacking silence (i.e., without observing mauna)
• mauna-vivarjitam: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mauna (प्रातिपदिक) + vi-varj (वर्ज् धातु) + vivarjita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मौनं विवर्जितम्), भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘श्राद्धम्’ विशेषण

• dakṣiṇā-rahitam: without the honorarium/gift (dakṣiṇā)
• dakṣiṇā-rahitam: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक) + rahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दक्षिणया रहितम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘श्राद्धम्’ विशेषण

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (Relative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (which)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘श्राद्धम्’ विशेषण

• śrāddham: the śrāddha
• śrāddham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• vyarthatām: futility
• vyarthatām: Karma (Result)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyarthatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• vrajet: would become/go to
• vrajet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vraj (व्रज् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A long dining row of brāhmaṇas seated evenly; the householder serves measured portions; a sign of silence—raised finger or closed lips—indicates mauna; at the end, the householder offers dakṣiṇā (coins/cloth) with folded hands.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha is not merely feeding—it is a disciplined rite; correct procedure, restraint, and honoring priests uphold its efficacy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it is general śrāddha-dharma within a tīrtha-māhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Maintain proper arrangement/portioning, observe ritual silence/restraint, and give dakṣiṇā.