Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

ततो दीपोत्सवदिने श्राद्धं कृत्वा समाहितः । दामोदरं यमं पूज्य दीपं दद्यात्स्वभक्तितः

Transliteration

tato dīpotsavadine śrāddhaṃ kṛtvā samāhitaḥ | dāmodaraṃ yamaṃ pūjya dīpaṃ dadyātsvabhaktitaḥ

Translation

Then, on the day of Dīpotsava, the festival of lamps, having performed śrāddha with a steady mind, one should worship Dāmodara and Yama, and offer a lamp with personal devotion.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — अनन्तरार्थे

• दीपोत्सवदिने: on the day of the lamp-festival
• दीपोत्सवदिने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीपोत्सव (प्रातिपदिक) + दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘दीपोत्सवस्य दिनम्’

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

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत्वा (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive) — पूर्वक्रिया

• समाहितः: being composed
• समाहितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु) → समाहित (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दामोदरम्: Dāmodara (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)
• दामोदरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दामोदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यमम्: Yama
• यमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूज्य: having worshipped
• पूज्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूज् (धातु) → पूज्य (कृदन्त/ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund) — ‘पूजयित्वा’

• दीपम्: a lamp
• दीपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should give/offer
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• स्वभक्तितः: out of one’s own devotion
• स्वभक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ (cause) — ‘स्वभक्तेः’ इति

Speaker

Sūta (continuing instruction within the māhātmya narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānarta-tīrtha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nightfall at a tīrtha: rows of lamps on ghāṭa steps; a devotee completes śrāddha offerings, then stands before small icons/altars of Dāmodara (Viṣṇu) and Yama, presenting a glowing lamp with folded hands.

Characters & Entities

• Dīpotsava
• Śrāddha
• Dāmodara
• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Festival devotion integrates pitṛ-duty (śrāddha) with deity-worship, making the lamp-offering a complete act of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The practices are prescribed in the setting of Ānarta Tīrtha / Ānartīya Taḍāga described in this chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

On Dīpotsava: perform śrāddha, worship Dāmodara and Yama, then offer a lamp devotedly.