Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

ततः शाकैश्च मूलैश्च नीवारैः फलसंयुतैः । चकार विधिना श्राद्धं तत्रैव द्विजसत्तमाः

Transliteration

tataḥ śākaiśca mūlaiśca nīvāraiḥ phalasaṃyutaiḥ | cakāra vidhinā śrāddhaṃ tatraiva dvijasattamāḥ

Translation

Dann vollzogen die Besten der Zweimalgeborenen dortselbst, mit Blattgemüse, Wurzeln, wildem Reis (nīvāra) und Früchten, nach der vorgeschriebenen Ordnung das Śrāddha.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/देश-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थे: अनन्तरम् (thereafter)

• शाकैः: with vegetables/greens
• शाकैः: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन = Instrumental plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक-निपात) = conjunction ‘and’

• मूलैः: with roots/tubers
• मूलैः: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन = Instrumental plural

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

• नीवारैः: with wild rice grains (nīvāra)
• नीवारैः: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीवार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन = Instrumental plural

• फलसंयुतैः: accompanied with fruits
• फलसंयुतैः: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फल + संयुत (कृदन्त; √युज् (धातु) + सम् उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (फलैः संयुताः); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन = Instrumental plural; विशेषणम् (qualifying the offerings)

• चकार: performed/did
• चकार: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• विधिना: according to the proper rite
• विधिना: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Instrumental singular

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Accusative singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक) = locative adverb ‘there’

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण-निपात) = emphatic particle ‘indeed/just’

• द्विजसत्तमाः: the best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजसत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक); सत्तम = सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तमप् (तद्धित)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (द्विजानां सत्तमाः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन = Nominative plural

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jyeṣṭha Puṣkara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: assembled sages/brāhmaṇas (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On a serene lakeside bank, venerable brāhmaṇas arrange kuśa grass and vessels; offerings of leafy greens, roots, wild rice, and fruits are set for śrāddha, with the tīrtha waters glinting behind.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Śrāddha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through simplicity and correctness: even modest offerings, when made properly at a tīrtha, fulfill ancestral duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Puṣkara tīrtha, presented as a fitting place to perform śrāddha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform śrāddha ‘vidhinā’ using simple ritual foods—greens, roots, wild rice, and fruits—at the tīrtha itself.