Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

कृष्णाः श्वेताश्च वा ग्राह्याः श्राद्धकर्मणि सर्वदा । बिल्वामलकमृद्वीकं पनसाम्रातदाडिमम्

Transliteration

kṛṣṇāḥ śvetāśca vā grāhyāḥ śrāddhakarmaṇi sarvadā | bilvāmalakamṛdvīkaṃ panasāmrātadāḍimam

Translation

In the śrāddha rite, articles of either the dark or the white kind may always be accepted. Fruits such as bilva, āmalaka, grapes, jackfruit, mango, and pomegranate are likewise approved as offerings.

Word by Word

• कृष्णाः: black (varieties)
• कृष्णाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (elliptic: 'black [ones]')

• श्वेताः: white (varieties)
• श्वेताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (elliptic: 'white [ones]')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (particle: 'or')

• ग्राह्याः: to be accepted/fit to be taken
• ग्राह्याः: Karma (Object-complement/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + य (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भाव्य/कर्तव्य (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'to be taken/acceptable'

• श्राद्धकर्मणि: in the śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धकर्मणि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध-कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ('śrāddha-rite')

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'always')

• बिल्वामलकमृद्वीकम्: bilva, āmalaka, and grapes (collectively)
• बिल्वामलकमृद्वीकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व + आमलक + मृद्वीका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (list treated as a collective)

• पनसाम्रातदाडिमम्: jackfruit, mango, āta fruit, and pomegranate (collectively)
• पनसाम्रातदाडिमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पनस + आम्र + आत + दाडिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (jackfruit, mango, 'āta' fruit, pomegranate)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Offerings display: dark and white varieties of ritual items placed side-by-side; a fruit platter with bilva, āmalaka, grapes, jackfruit segments, mangoes, and pomegranates prepared for śrāddha, with darbha and water pot.

Characters & Entities

• Śrāddha
• Bilva
• Āmalaka
• Mṛdvīkā (grapes)
• Panasa (jackfruit)
• Āmra (mango)
• Dāḍima (pomegranate)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is sustained through careful ritual correctness, including the suitability of foods and fruits for ancestral rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, where śrāddha is described with detailed, meritorious procedure.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Accept suitable varieties (black/white) and offer approved fruits like bilva, āmalaka, grapes, jackfruit, mango, and pomegranate in śrāddha.