Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

श्रद्धया परया युक्तः श्राद्धं कुर्याद्विचक्षणः । यथोक्तां दक्षिणां दद्यात्सुवर्णं रजतं तथा

Transliteration

śraddhayā parayā yuktaḥ śrāddhaṃ kuryādvicakṣaṇaḥ | yathoktāṃ dakṣiṇāṃ dadyātsuvarṇaṃ rajataṃ tathā

Translation

Mit höchster श्रद्धा erfüllt soll der Einsichtige das Śrāddha vollziehen; und er soll die vorgeschriebene Dakṣiṇā geben—Gold und ebenso Silber—wie es geboten ist.

Word by Word

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• परया: supreme, great
• परया: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective agreeing with श्रद्धया

• युक्तः: endowed (with)
• युक्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) → युक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; past passive participle used adjectivally

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

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; should do

• विचक्षणः: a discerning person
• विचक्षणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• यथोक्ताम्: as prescribed
• यथोक्ताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + उक्त (कृदन्त) → यथोक्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘as said/prescribed’ qualifying दक्षिणाम्

• दक्षिणाम्: fee/gift (dakṣiṇā)
• दक्षिणाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; should give

• सुवर्णम्: gold
• सुवर्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• रजतम्: silver
• रजतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• तथा: also, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha/Prakaraṇa (Discourse link)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; manner particle/adverb

Speaker

Deductive (Dvārakā Māhātmya context within Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa): a Purāṇic narrator outlining śrāddha-dharma

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā-śrāddha at tīrtha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A discerning householder/pilgrim conducts śrāddha: brāhmaṇas seated on kuśa mats, offerings arranged, and dakṣiṇā of gold and silver presented with reverence; the setting is a clean ritual pavilion near the sacred waters.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual becomes spiritually effective when performed with sincere faith and completed with rightful giving.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā is the sacred backdrop in Dvārakā Māhātmya, where śrāddha is praised as especially fruitful.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform śrāddha with supreme faith and give the prescribed dakṣiṇā, including gold and silver.