Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

तिलोदकाञ्जलिर्देयो जलस्थैस्तीर्थवासिभिः । सदर्भहस्तेनैकेन श्राद्धसेवनमिष्यते

Transliteration

tilodakāñjalirdeyo jalasthaistīrthavāsibhiḥ | sadarbhahastenaikena śrāddhasevanamiṣyate

Translation

Die am tīrtha Wohnenden sollen, im Wasser stehend, eine Handvoll Sesamwasser darbringen. Mit einer Hand, die Darbha hält, wird die Vollziehung des śrāddha gebilligt.

Word by Word

• तिलोदकाञ्जलिः: a handful (añjali) of sesame-water
• तिलोदकाञ्जलिः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल-उदक-अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तिलस्य उदकं, तेन अञ्जलिः)

• देयः: should be given
• देयः: Vidhi/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + यत् (कृत्) → देय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम्; ‘देय’ = दातव्यः (to be given)

• जलस्थैः: by those standing in water
• जलस्थैः: Karana (Instrument/Agentive-instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जलस्थ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम्; जलस्थ = जले स्थित (in water)

• तीर्थवासिभिः: by the tīrtha-dwellers/pilgrims
• तीर्थवासिभिः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ-वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; तीर्थे वासी (dweller at a tīrtha)

• सदर्भहस्तेन: with a hand holding darbha-grass
• सदर्भहस्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-दर्भ-हस्त (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः = यस्य हस्ते दर्भः सः (one whose hand holds darbha)

• एकेन: with one (hand)
• एकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; संख्या-विशेषणम्

• श्राद्धसेवनम्: the performance of śrāddha
• श्राद्धसेवनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध-सेवन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; श्राद्धस्य सेवनम् (performance/observance of śrāddha)

• इष्यते: is approved/considered proper
• इष्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; ‘is considered/approved’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-tīrtha (ghāṭa tarpaṇa)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims waist-deep in sacred water at Prabhāsa, offering sesame-water in añjali; one hand holds darbha; priests guide quietly on the ghat steps.

Characters & Entities

• Tīrtha
• Tilodaka
• Darbha
• Śrāddha
• Prabhāsakṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

At tīrthas, simple acts—sesame-water offering with darbha—carry deep ancestral sanctity when done properly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra and its tīrtha environment, where water-based offerings are central.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer tilodaka añjali while standing in water, holding darbha in one hand, as an approved śrāddha procedure.