Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

प्रीणयेन्नर्मदातीरे ब्राह्मणाञ्छंसितव्रतान् । श्राद्धं कार्यं नृपश्रेष्ठ आमैः पक्वैर्जलेन च

Transliteration

prīṇayennarmadātīre brāhmaṇāñchaṃsitavratān | śrāddhaṃ kāryaṃ nṛpaśreṣṭha āmaiḥ pakvairjalena ca

Translation

On the bank of the Narmadā, O best of kings, one should satisfy Brāhmaṇas devoted to praised vows; and śrāddha should be performed with uncooked and cooked offerings, and with water as well.

Word by Word

• प्रीणयेत्: should please/satisfy
• प्रीणयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्री (धातु) (प्रीणयति)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नर्मदा-तीरे: on the bank of the Narmadā
• नर्मदा-तीरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी: 'नर्मदायाः तीरम्'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

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

• शंसित-व्रतान्: whose vows are praised/commended
• शंसित-व्रतान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शंसित (प्रातिपदिक; √शंस् क्त) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (शंसितानि व्रतानि येषाम्/शंसितव्रताः); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with ब्राह्मणान्)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (predicate/thing to be done)

• कार्यम्: to be performed
• कार्यम्: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कार्य (यत्)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विधेय (to be done)

• नृपश्रेष्ठ: O best of kings
• नृपश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी: 'नृपाणां श्रेष्ठः'); पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• आमैः: with uncooked (food)
• आमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with implied पिण्ड/अन्न etc.)

• पक्वैः: with cooked (food)
• पक्वैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पक्व (प्रातिपदिक; √पच् क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• जलेन: with water
• जलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

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

Speaker

Vyāsa (in dialogue with Yudhiṣṭhira) [deduced from “nṛpaśreṣṭha”]

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Narmadā-tīra śrāddha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpaśreṣṭha (best of kings)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On the Narmadā bank, a householder performs śrāddha: kusa grass, water vessel, offerings arranged—uncooked grains and cooked rice/food; brāhmaṇas sit nearby; the river glints as tarpaṇa water is poured with mantras.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā (Revā)
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

At sacred rivers, ancestral rites become especially fruitful when performed with proper recipients and sincere hospitality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Narmadā/Revā-tīra (the banks of the Narmadā).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śrāddha with both uncooked and cooked offerings, along with water, and feeding worthy Brāhmaṇas.