Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

धर्मक्षेत्रे तु संप्राप्य श्राद्धं कुर्यादतंद्रितः । तस्य संवत्सरं यावत्तृप्ताः स्युः पितरो धुवम्

Transliteration

dharmakṣetre tu saṃprāpya śrāddhaṃ kuryādataṃdritaḥ | tasya saṃvatsaraṃ yāvattṛptāḥ syuḥ pitaro dhuvam

Translation

Upon reaching the Dharmakṣetra, the holy field of Dharma, one should perform Śrāddha without negligence. By that act, the Pitṛs, the ancestral spirits, are surely satisfied for a full year.

Word by Word

• धर्मक्षेत्रे: in a sacred field/place of dharma
• धर्मक्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (धर्मस्य क्षेत्रम्)

• तु: indeed, but
• तु: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषण/विरोधबोधक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• संप्राप्य: having reached
• संप्राप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘संप्राप्य’ = having reached/attained

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अतन्द्रितः: diligent, untiring
• अतन्द्रितः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + तन्द्रित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कर्तृपदस्य); ‘अतन्द्रितः’ = not lazy, diligent

• तस्य: of that (rite/person)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• संवत्सरम्: for a year
• संवत्सरम्: Karma (Extent of time/कालपरिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (duration)

• यावत्: as long as, until
• यावत्: Adhikarana (Limit/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधिबोधक-अव्यय (until/as long as)

• तृप्ताः: satisfied
• तृप्ताः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृप् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पितरः)

• स्युः: may be, should be
• स्युः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• पितरः: the ancestors (manes)
• पितरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Sambandha (Certainty/निश्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्ययवत् (adverb: certainly)

Speaker

Unspecified (tīrtha-śrāddha instruction within Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmakṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Implied king (rājan)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At a sacred field near a water source, a householder performs śrāddha: offering piṇḍas on darbha, pouring water for tarpana, with brāhmaṇas seated for feeding; a subtle presence of satisfied pitṛs in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmakṣetra
• Pitṛs

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Honoring ancestors through correctly performed rites is a key form of dharma, especially when done at sacred places.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmakṣetra, presented as a sanctified locale where śrāddha becomes especially fruitful.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform śrāddha diligently at Dharmakṣetra to ensure the ancestors’ satisfaction for one year.