Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

अपसव्यं ततः कृत्वा दर्भांस्तिलसमन्वितान् । द्विगुणान्प्रक्षिपेद्भूमौ पितॄनुद्दिश्य चात्मनः

Transliteration

apasavyaṃ tataḥ kṛtvā darbhāṃstilasamanvitān | dviguṇānprakṣipedbhūmau pitṝnuddiśya cātmanaḥ

Translation

Dann, nachdem man die apasavya-Haltung eingenommen hat (die heilige Schnur nach rechts), lege man Darbha-Gras, mit Sesam vermischt, in doppelter Menge auf die Erde und weihe es den eigenen Pitṛs, den Ahnen.

Word by Word

• अपसव्यम्: in the apasavya manner (leftward)
• अपसव्यम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपसव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as an adverbial accusative)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Sequential)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक

• कृत्वा: having done/made
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• दर्भान्: darbha grasses
• दर्भान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• तिलसमन्वितान्: accompanied with sesame seeds
• तिलसमन्वितान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of दर्भान्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन; ‘तिल-समन्वित’ = तिलैः समन्वित (endowed with sesame)

• द्विगुणान्: doubled/twofold
• द्विगुणान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of दर्भान्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन; ‘द्विगुण’ = twofold/doubled

• प्रक्षिपेत्: should throw/sprinkle
• प्रक्षिपेत्: Kriyā (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; एकवचन

• पितॄन्: the ancestors
• पितॄन्: Karma (Object of उद्दिश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• उद्दिश्य: having intended/addressed (to)
• उद्दिश्य: Prayojana/Anukūla-kriyā (Purpose-related prior act)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-दिश् (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having addressed/intended (for)’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/Genitive); एकवचन

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: king (rājendra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The performer shifts the sacred thread to the right (apasavya), then places doubled darbha mixed with black sesame on the ground, mentally addressing his ancestors.

Characters & Entities

• Apasavya
• Darbha
• Tila
• Pitṛs

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ancestral rites have distinct markers—posture, materials, and intention—showing that devotion must align with prescribed dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The instruction is within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra māhātmya setting, but the verse itself is a general Śrāddha prescription.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Adopt apasavya and place doubled darbhas with sesame on the ground, dedicating them to one’s ancestors.