Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

देवमुद्दिश्य क्रियते यत्तद्दैवकमुच्यते । गच्छेद्देशान्तरं यस्तु श्राद्धं कार्यं तु सर्पिषा

Transliteration

devamuddiśya kriyate yattaddaivakamucyate | gaccheddeśāntaraṃ yastu śrāddhaṃ kāryaṃ tu sarpiṣā

Translation

That śrāddha which is performed with a deity in view is called daivaka-śrāddha. And for one who is about to depart to another region, śrāddha should be performed using ghee.

Word by Word

• देवम्: a deity
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उद्देश्यार्थ कर्म (object intended)

• उद्दिश्य: intending/addressing
• उद्दिश्य: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद्-√दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘उद्दिश्य’ = having intended/addressing

• क्रियते: is performed
• क्रियते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; निर्देश (correlative)

• दैवकम्: daivaka (deity-directed śrāddha)
• दैवकम्: Pratipadyamāna (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैवक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; नाम (designation)

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• गच्छेत्: should go
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• देशान्तरम्: to another country/place
• देशान्तरम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्वितीया-तत्पुरुष (अन्यः देशः); गत्यर्थकर्म (destination)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थ (but/indeed)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्तव्यकर्म (thing to be done)

• कार्यम्: to be performed
• कार्यम्: Vidhana (Obligation/विधान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (यत्), कर्मणि/भावे; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘कर्तव्यम्’ (to be done)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषार्थ

• सर्पिषा: with ghee
• सर्पिषा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्पिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण (instrument)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī/Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder at Prabhāsa prepares a śrāddha before a journey: a small altar with a deity emblem, a brāhmaṇa seated on kuśa, ghee in a ladle, piṇḍa offerings arranged, and the sea-coast tīrtha atmosphere in the background.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma adapts to circumstance: śrāddha may be deity-directed, and special care is advised before major transitions like travel.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya, where correct observance of rites is framed as especially meritorious in Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Defines daivaka-śrāddha (done intending a deity) and prescribes performing śrāddha with ghee for one departing to another region.