Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

दश कल्पसहस्राणि पितरो यांति तृप्तताम् । द्वितीयायां तु यो भक्त्या कुर्याच्छ्राद्धं महालयम्

Transliteration

daśa kalpasahasrāṇi pitaro yāṃti tṛptatām | dvitīyāyāṃ tu yo bhaktyā kuryācchrāddhaṃ mahālayam

Translation

Pendant dix mille kalpa, les Pitṛs (Pères ancestraux) parviennent à la pleine satisfaction. Mais celui qui, avec dévotion, accomplit le śrāddha de Mahālaya au second tithi (Dvitīyā)…

Word by Word

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (Quantifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-शब्दः — ‘दश’ (indeclinable-like numeral used adjectivally)

• कल्पसहस्राणि: thousands of kalpas
• कल्पसहस्राणि: Karma (Extent/Measure—कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन — परिमाणवाचक (measure)

• पितरः: the ancestors
• पितरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• यान्ति: go/attain
• यान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• तृप्तताम्: satisfaction/contentment
• तृप्तताम्: Gati-karma (Goal/कर्म of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्तता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — भाववाचक (state/abstract noun)

• द्वितीयायाम्: on the second (tithi)
• द्वितीयायाम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वितीया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — तिथि-विशेषणार्थ

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — विरोध/विशेष (particle: but/indeed)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/Means—करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha (ancestral rite)
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• महालयम्: Mahālaya (rite/observance)
• महालयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महालय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Setukhaṇḍa narrative style within Skanda Purāṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra (Setu/Rāmeśvara)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene śrāddha scene by the tīrtha: the devotee offers piṇḍas and water-libations; pitṛs appear in subtle, luminous forms receiving satisfaction that stretches across vast time (ten thousand kalpas).

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (Ancestors)
• Dvitīyā-tithi
• Mahālaya
• Śrāddha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional performance of śrāddha powerfully benefits one’s ancestors, granting them enduring satisfaction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu-kṣetra is the implied sacred landscape in Setukhaṇḍa where these Mahālaya rites are praised.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Mahālaya śrāddha with bhakti on Dvitīyā-tithi for extraordinary ancestral benefit.