Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

पिंडमग्नौ सदा देयाद्भोगार्थी सततं नरः । प्रजार्थं पत्न्यै वै दद्यान्मध्यमं मंत्रपूर्वकम्

Transliteration

piṃḍamagnau sadā deyādbhogārthī satataṃ naraḥ | prajārthaṃ patnyai vai dadyānmadhyamaṃ maṃtrapūrvakam

Translation

A man who seeks enjoyment should always offer a piṇḍa into the fire. For the sake of progeny, he should give the middle piṇḍa to his wife, accompanied by the proper mantras.

Word by Word

• पिण्डम्: a piṇḍa (rice-ball)
• पिण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — rice-ball/oblation lump

• अग्नौ: in the fire
• अग्नौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन — in the fire

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• देयात्: should offer/give
• देयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विध्यर्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन — should give

• भोगार्थी: desirer of enjoyment
• भोगार्थी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भोगस्य अर्थी), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — one desiring enjoyment

• सततम्: continually
• सततम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन (adverbial accusative) — continually

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — man

• प्रजार्थम्: for the sake of offspring
• प्रजार्थम्: Hetu/Purpose (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (प्रजायाः अर्थम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (as purpose/for the sake of) — for progeny

• पत्न्यै: to (his) wife
• पत्न्यै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन — to the wife

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-निपात (particle: indeed)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विध्यर्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन — should give

• मध्यमम्: the middle (portion)
• मध्यमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — middle/medium (portion)

• मन्त्रपूर्वकम्: with mantras beforehand
• मन्त्रपूर्वकम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (मन्त्रेण पूर्वकम्/मन्त्रपूर्वकम्), क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन — preceded by mantra

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A small sacred fire burns; a man offers a rice-ball/portion into the flames; beside him, his wife receives a designated offering with mantra recitation, both seated on kuśa grass.

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Piṇḍa
• Wife (Patnī)
• Prajā (offspring)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual acts are linked to household aims (puruṣārtha within dharma): offerings ordered rightly are said to support well-being and progeny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, where śrāddha-related piṇḍa procedures are taught as dharmically efficacious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer a piṇḍa into Agni; give the middle piṇḍa to one’s wife for progeny, with appropriate mantras.