Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

प्रातः श्राद्धं प्रकुर्वीत द्विजान् सम्पूज्य यत्नतः । दानं दद्याद्यथाशक्ति गोहिरण्याम्बरादिकम्

Transliteration

prātaḥ śrāddhaṃ prakurvīta dvijān sampūjya yatnataḥ | dānaṃ dadyādyathāśakti gohiraṇyāmbarādikam

Translation

Le matin, on doit accomplir le śrāddha en honorant avec soin les dvija (brāhmaṇa). Selon ses moyens, qu’on fasse le dāna : vaches, or, vêtements et autres dons.

Word by Word

• प्रातः: in the morning
• प्रातः: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रातः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time) — Indeclinable temporal adverb

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रकुर्वीत: should perform
• प्रकुर्वीत: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (आज्ञार्थ/सम्भावना), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Optative, 3rd person, Singular

• द्विजान्: Brahmins
• द्विजान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सम्पूज्य: having duly worshipped
• सम्पूज्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-√पूज् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्यय (पूर्वकालक्रिया) — Gerund (absolutive), “having worshipped”

• यत्नतः: carefully
• यत्नतः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (adverb) — Indeclinable adverb “with effort/carefully”

• दानम्: gift/charity
• दानम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• यथा: according to
• यथा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/उपमानार्थ — Indeclinable, manner “according to/as”

• शक्ति: ability
• शक्ति: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (अव्ययीभावार्थे) — Feminine, Locative, Singular (in idiom)

• गौः: cow
• गौः: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (stem in compound) — Feminine, Nom/Acc, Singular (as compound member)

• हिरण्य: gold
• हिरण्य: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (stem in compound) — Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular (as compound member)

• अम्बर: garment/cloth
• अम्बर: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (stem in compound) — Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular (as compound member)

• आदिकम्: and the like
• आदिकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + क (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; ‘etc.-like/and others’

Speaker

Narrative voice (contextual instruction within Revākhaṇḍa; speaker not explicit in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (Narmadā ghāṭ context)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Morning on a river ghat: a householder performs śrāddha with darbha and water offerings; brāhmaṇas are respectfully seated and worshipped; gifts—cloth bundles, a small gold piece, and a cow led nearby—are offered with humility.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ancestral rites become fruitful when performed with reverence and supported by charitable giving according to one’s means.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is the Revākhaṇḍa, centered on the sanctity of the Revā (Narmadā) sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Morning śrāddha, honoring Brāhmaṇas, and giving dāna such as cows, gold, and garments as per capacity.