Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

पूर्वाह्णे क्रियते यच्च रात्रौ वा संध्ययोरपि । पर्याकाशे तथा देशे तच्छ्राद्धं व्यर्थतां व्रजेत

Transliteration

pūrvāhṇe kriyate yacca rātrau vā saṃdhyayorapi | paryākāśe tathā deśe tacchrāddhaṃ vyarthatāṃ vrajeta

Translation

Ein Śrāddha, das am Vormittag, oder nachts, oder in beiden Dämmerzeiten vollzogen wird—und ebenso an einem ungeschützten, offenen Ort—wird fruchtlos.

Word by Word

• पूर्वाह्णे: in the forenoon
• पूर्वाह्णे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्वाह्ण (प्रातिपदिक; पूर्व + अह्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (पूर्वः अह्नः) ‘in the forenoon’

• क्रियते: is performed
• क्रियते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपदम्

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative) ‘which’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (वैदिक/प्रचलित रूप ‘रात्रौ’)

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

• संध्ययोः: at the two twilights (dawn and dusk)
• संध्ययोः: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी/षष्ठी (Loc/Gen), द्विवचन; अत्र सप्तमी (time): ‘at the two twilights’

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

• पर्याकाशे: in the open air
• पर्याकाशे: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि + आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः: ‘परि-आकाश’ = ‘in the open/outdoors’

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus/likewise)

• देशे: in a place
• देशे: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (sandhi in tacchrāddham)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• व्यर्थताम्: futility
• व्यर्थताम्: Gati (Goal/गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यर्थता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• व्रजेत: would become/go to
• व्रजेत: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (पाठे ‘व्रजेत/व्रजेत्’)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king (nṛpa/rājan)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A śrāddha setting contrasted: on one side an exposed open ground at twilight with offerings rendered ineffective; on the other a sheltered, purified maṇḍapa prepared for pitṛ-kārya, emphasizing correct ritual environment.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right timing and proper setting are integral to sacred action; dharma is upheld through correct kāla (time) and deśa (place).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha appears in this verse; it gives general kāla-deśa discipline for śrāddha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoid śrāddha in the forenoon, at night, at sandhyā times, and in unsheltered/open places.