Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

प्रजाश्च सृजता तेन पूर्वं दृष्टा द्विजोत्तमाः । तस्मात्प्रशस्तास्ते श्राद्धे पितृतृप्तिकराः सदा

Transliteration

prajāśca sṛjatā tena pūrvaṃ dṛṣṭā dvijottamāḥ | tasmātpraśastāste śrāddhe pitṛtṛptikarāḥ sadā

Translation

Als Er die Wesen erschuf, wurden zuerst die dvijottamas erblickt, die Besten unter den «Zweimalgeborenen». Darum werden sie im Śrāddha gepriesen, denn sie bewirken stets die Zufriedenheit der Pitṛs.

Word by Word

• प्रजाः: creatures/subjects
• प्रजाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• सृजता: by (him) creating
• सृजता: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सृज् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: formerly/first
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• दृष्टाः: were seen/appeared
• दृष्टाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (द्विजोत्तमाः इति पदेन सह)

• द्विजोत्तमाः: excellent Brahmins
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-समासार्थः (द्विजानाम् उत्तमाः / उत्तमा द्विजाः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रशस्ताः: highly praised
• प्रशस्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रशस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (ते)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• श्राद्धे: in śrāddha
• श्राद्धे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पितृतृप्तिकराः: causing satisfaction of the ancestors
• पितृतृप्तिकराः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृ + तृप्ति + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पितॄणां तृप्तिं करोति इति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (ते)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नित्यत्ववाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; exact speaker not explicit in snippet)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā in a luminous creation-scene beholds the foremost dvijas first; a Śrāddha setting is implied—Brāhmaṇas seated with kuśa, piṇḍa and water-vessels, while subtle pitṛs receive satisfaction.

Characters & Entities

• Dvijottama (excellent brāhmaṇas)
• Brahmā (implied)
• Śrāddha
• Pitṛs

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha bears fruit through worthy recipients: honoring exemplary dvijas is presented as a powerful means to please the ancestors.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha appears in this verse; it remains a śrāddha-focused teaching within a Tīrthamāhātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Invite and honor dvijottamas (highly qualified brāhmaṇas) in śrāddha, as they are said to consistently effect pitṛ satisfaction.