Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

नरः स्नात्वासिसंभेदे संतर्प्य पितृदेवताः । श्राद्धं विधाय विधिना पित्रानृण्यमवाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

naraḥ snātvāsisaṃbhede saṃtarpya pitṛdevatāḥ | śrāddhaṃ vidhāya vidhinā pitrānṛṇyamavāpnuyāt

Translation

Having bathed at Asisaṃbheda and duly satisfied the deities of the ancestors, one who performs Śrāddha according to the proper rule attains freedom from the debt owed to the forefathers.

Word by Word

• नरः: a man/person
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-कृदन्त (gerund): having bathed

• असिसंभेदे: at Asisaṃbheda
• असिसंभेदे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असि (प्रातिपदिक) + संभेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• संतर्प्य: having satisfied
• संतर्प्य: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप् (धातु) उपसर्गः सम्-
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष अव्यय-कृदन्त (gerund): having satisfied (by offerings)

• पितृदेवताः: the Pitṛ-deities (ancestors as deities)
• पितृदेवताः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (पितर एव देवताः)

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

• विधाय: having performed
• विधाय: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु) उपसर्गः वि-
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-कृदन्त (gerund): having performed

• विधिना: according to rule/with proper procedure
• विधिना: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• पित्रानृण्यम्: freedom from debt to the ancestors
• पित्रानृण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + अनृण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पितॄणाम् अनृण्यम् = freedom from debt to ancestors)

• अवाप्नुयात्: may obtain
• अवाप्नुयात्: Kriya (Action/फल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु) उपसर्गः अव-
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī-khaṇḍa context, Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Asisaṃbheda

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim bathes at Asisaṃbheda, then offers tarpaṇa with cupped hands to pitṛs and devatās; a śrāddha setting with priests, kusa grass, and offerings follows.

Characters & Entities

• Asisaṃbheda
• Pitṛs (ancestral deities)
• Śrāddha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes gratitude to lineage; proper rites at a sacred tīrtha complete one’s duty to the ancestors.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Asisaṃbheda in Kāśī, recommended for snāna and pitṛ-related rites.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bathe at Asisaṃbheda, offer tarpaṇa to the Pitṛs, and perform Śrāddha according to prescribed rules to attain pitṛ-ānṛṇya.