Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

और्द्ध्वदैहिकहीना ये षोडश श्राद्धवर्जिताः । ते तृप्तिमधिगच्छंति घृतकुल्यां निवापतः

Transliteration

aurddhvadaihikahīnā ye ṣoḍaśa śrāddhavarjitāḥ | te tṛptimadhigacchaṃti ghṛtakulyāṃ nivāpataḥ

Translation

Those deprived of post-death rites, and those for whom the sixteen śrāddhas were not performed—by offering piṇḍa here at Ghṛtakulyā, they attain satisfaction.

Word by Word

• और्द्ध्व: post-death (ūrdhva)
• और्द्ध्व: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: और्द्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपदम्; विशेषणाङ्ग (compound member)

• दैहिक: bodily/relating to the body
• दैहिक: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दैहिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपदम्; विशेषणाङ्ग (compound member)

• हीनाः: deprived of
• हीनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (कृदन्त; √हा त्यागे + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, Nominative plural; adjective)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (Masculine, Nominative plural)

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; विशेषणम् (numeral used adjectivally)

• श्राद्ध: śrāddha rites
• श्राद्ध: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपदम् (compound member)

• वर्जिताः: devoid of/omitted from
• वर्जिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्जित (कृदन्त; √वर्ज् त्यागे + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, Nominative plural; past participle)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative plural)

• तृप्तिम्: satisfaction
• तृप्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative singular)

• अधिगच्छन्ति: attain
• अधिगच्छन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि√गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम् (Present, 3rd plural, Parasmaipada)

• घृत: ghee
• घृत: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपदम् (compound member)

• कुल्याम्: in the channel/streamlet
• कुल्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (Feminine, Locative singular)

• निवापतः: from the offering (of piṇḍa)
• निवापतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेतौ (Masculine, Ablative singular; cause: 'from/by reason of')

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ghṛtakulyā

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Ghṛtakulyā, offerings include ghṛta lamps and rice piṇḍas; the water reflects golden light, suggesting ‘ghṛta’ symbolism and nourishment for pitṛs.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Ghṛtakulyā Tīrtha
• Ṣoḍaśa-śrāddha
• Piṇḍa
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places can serve as dharmic remedies, completing neglected ancestral duties through focused offerings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ghṛtakulyā in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nivāpa (piṇḍa offering) at Ghṛtakulyā for ancestors who missed the prescribed śrāddha sequence.