Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

ततश्च विप्रानाहूय वेदज्ञांस्तीरसंश्रयान् । विश्वेदेवादि संपूज्य पितॄणां श्राद्धमाचरेत्

Transliteration

tataśca viprānāhūya vedajñāṃstīrasaṃśrayān | viśvedevādi saṃpūjya pitṝṇāṃ śrāddhamācaret

Translation

Then, having invited Brahmins learned in the Vedas who dwell by the sacred bank, one should duly worship the Viśvedevas and the other deities, and perform the Śrāddha for the ancestors.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) = ‘then/thereafter’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction) = ‘and’

• viprān: Brahmins
• viprān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचनम्

• āhūya: having invited
• āhūya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√hū (हू धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having invited/called’

• veda-jñān: knowers of the Veda
• veda-jñān: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (one who knows the Veda)

• tīra-saṃśrayān: dwelling at/attached to the bank
• tīra-saṃśrayān: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tīra (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (those resorting to the riverbank)

• viśve-deva-ādi: the Viśvedevas and others
• viśve-deva-ādi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśve-devāḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः; ‘Viśvedevas and others’ (group)

• saṃpūjya: having worshipped
• saṃpūjya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√pūj (पूज् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having duly worshipped’

• pitṝṇām: of the ancestors
• pitṝṇām: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचनम्

• śrāddham: the śrāddha rite
• śrāddham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचनम्

• ācaret: should perform
• ācaret: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√car (चर् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gomatī (Dvārakā)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On the Gomatī bank, the householder invites seated Veda-knowing brāhmaṇas; a small altar is arranged; offerings are made to Viśvedevas before commencing pitṛ-śrāddha.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvedevas
• Pitṛs
• Veda-knowing brāhmaṇas
• Gomatī (implied by context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pitṛ-dharma is best fulfilled through reverent śrāddha performed with learned officiants and proper deva-invocations.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha-bank (tīra) of Gomatī in the Dvārakā region (context of the chapter).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Invite Veda-knowing brāhmaṇas, worship the Viśvedevas, and conduct pitṛ-śrāddha.