Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

श्रद्धयैव हि कर्त्तव्याः श्राद्धपिंडोदकक्रियाः । तथांतराले चास्माकं श्राद्धपिंडौ विशेषतः

Transliteration

śraddhayaiva hi karttavyāḥ śrāddhapiṃḍodakakriyāḥ | tathāṃtarāle cāsmākaṃ śrāddhapiṃḍau viśeṣataḥ

Translation

En vérité, les actes du śrāddha—offrandes de piṇḍa et libations d’eau—doivent être accomplis avec foi. Et dans cet intervalle sacré ici, notre śrāddha et nos offrandes de piṇḍa sont tout particulièrement éminents par leur fruit.

Word by Word

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारणार्थ (only/indeed)

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (for/indeed)

• कर्तव्याः: to be done/should be performed
• कर्तव्याः: Vidhyartha (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• श्राद्धपिण्डोदकक्रियाः: the rites of śrāddha, piṇḍa and water-offering
• श्राद्धपिण्डोदकक्रियाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध + पिण्ड + उदक + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Manner adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), प्रकारवाचक (thus/likewise)

• अन्तराले: in the interval/at the intermediate time
• अन्तराले: Adhikarana (Location/occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तराल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अस्माकम्: of us/our
• अस्माकम्: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• श्राद्धपिण्डौ: the two śrāddha-piṇḍas (two piṇḍa offerings in śrāddha)
• श्राद्धपिण्डौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध + पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Sambandha (Manner adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), विशेषणार्थ (especially)

Speaker

Brahmā (continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya (antarāla-viśeṣa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic ritual scene: a priest instructs a householder; both hold kuśa; piṇḍas and water offerings are arranged; a luminous boundary marks the ‘antarāla’; the devotee’s focused face conveys śraddhā.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Dharmāraṇya
• Śrāddha
• Piṇḍa
• Udaka (tarpaṇa/libation)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śraddhā (faithful intention) is essential; without it, ritual becomes hollow, while with it the tīrtha’s promised fruit manifests fully.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya’s sacred interval/zone (antarāla), previously linked to Śiva’s manifestation and Dharmmeśvara-pura.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform śrāddha rites—piṇḍa offerings and water-libations (udaka/tarpaṇa)—explicitly “with faith” (śraddhayā).