Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

पितॄणां पिंडदानेन अक्षय्या तृप्तिरस्त्विह । शिवरूपांतराले वै धर्मारण्ये धरातले

Transliteration

pitṝṇāṃ piṃḍadānena akṣayyā tṛptirastviha | śivarūpāṃtarāle vai dharmāraṇye dharātale

Translation

Ici, sur la terre de Dharmāraṇya—dans l’intervalle sacré marqué par la manifestation de Śiva—par l’offrande des piṇḍas, que la satisfaction des Pitṛs soit impérissable.

Word by Word

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पिण्डदानेन: by offering rice-balls (piṇḍa)
• पिण्डदानेन: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड + दान (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अक्षय्या: imperishable/inexhaustible
• अक्षय्या: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तृप्तिः: satisfaction
• तृप्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अस्तु: let there be
• अस्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), देशवाचक (here)

• शिवरूपान्तराले: in the interval/space of Śiva’s form (Śivarūpāntarāla)
• शिवरूपान्तराले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + रूप + अन्तराल (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), निश्चयार्थ (certainty)

• धर्मारण्ये: in Dharmāraṇya
• धर्मारण्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + अरण्य (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• धरातले: on the surface of the earth
• धरातले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा + तल (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Brahmā (continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya (Śiva-rūpāntarāla)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A consecrated forest clearing near a Śiva sign (liṅga or manifestation mark); devotees shape rice-balls (piṇḍas) on darbha; pitṛs appear serene, receiving enduring nourishment; the ‘antarāla’ is shown as a luminous boundary ring.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Śiva
• Dharmāraṇya
• Pitṛs
• Piṇḍadāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When ancestral offerings are made in a Śiva-sanctified sacred geography, their fruit is described as akṣayya—enduring beyond ordinary limitations.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya on earth, especially the Śiva-marked sacred interval/zone (śivarūpāṃtarāla).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Piṇḍadāna (piṇḍa offerings) for the Pitṛs to obtain imperishable satisfaction.