Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

पिंडं च तत्र निर्वाप्य हयग्रीवस्य सन्निधौ । हायग्रीवीं श्रियं प्राप्य समुच्येत सपूर्वजः

Transliteration

piṃḍaṃ ca tatra nirvāpya hayagrīvasya sannidhau | hāyagrīvīṃ śriyaṃ prāpya samucyeta sapūrvajaḥ

Translation

And having offered the piṇḍa there in the presence of Hayagrīva, one attains the prosperity bestowed by Hayagrīva and is uplifted together with one’s forefathers.

Word by Word

• पिण्डम्: piṇḍa (funerary rice-ball offering)
• पिण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2), एकवचन; accusative singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (there)

• निर्वाप्य: having offered
• निर्वाप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर् + वप् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having offered/placed (as offering)’

• हयग्रीवस्य: of Hayagrīva
• हयग्रीवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हयग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6), एकवचन; genitive singular

• सन्निधौ: in the presence/vicinity
• सन्निधौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7), एकवचन; locative singular

• हायग्रीवीम्: Hayagrīva-related; of Hayagrīva
• हायग्रीवीम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हायग्रीवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2), एकवचन; adjective to ‘श्रियम्’

• श्रियम्: prosperity; fortune; grace
• श्रियम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2), एकवचन; accusative singular

• प्राप्य: having obtained
• प्राप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having obtained’

• समुच्येत: would be freed; would be uplifted
• समुच्येत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उच् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘would be released/raised up’

• सपूर्वजः: together with his forefathers/elders
• सपूर्वजः: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ ‘with’) + पूर्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1), एकवचन; adjective used substantively; ‘together with (his) ancestors/elders’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hayagrīva Tīrtha

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At a shrine of Hayagrīva, a devotee places piṇḍas on darbha near the tīrtha edge; Hayagrīva’s icon radiates; behind, subtle ancestral figures rise upward with light, indicating ‘samuccyate sapūrvajaḥ’ (uplifted with forefathers).

Characters & Entities

• Hayagrīva
• Piṇḍa
• Pitṛs/Ancestors
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Puruṣārtha is shared across generations: righteous rites at a Kāśī tīrtha are said to benefit both the performer and the ancestors.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Hayagrīva Tīrtha, specifically the area near Hayagrīva’s presence/shrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Piṇḍa-nirvāpa—offering piṇḍa (a śrāddha-related oblation) in Hayagrīva’s vicinity.