Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

नित्यश्राद्धं भूतबलिं तथाऽतिथि समर्चनम् । विशन्त्यन्यानि दत्त्वा च प्रशस्यानि यमालये

Transliteration

nityaśrāddhaṃ bhūtabaliṃ tathā'tithi samarcanam | viśantyanyāni dattvā ca praśasyāni yamālaye

Translation

«Le śrāddha quotidien, les offrandes de bhūta-bali et l’hommage rendu aux hôtes—après avoir donné ces dons et d’autres louables—ces mérites sont proclamés même dans la demeure de Yama.»

Word by Word

• नित्यश्राद्धम्: daily śrāddha rite
• नित्यश्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्य + श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• भूतबलिम्: offering to beings (bhūtas)
• भूतबलिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + बलि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (connector)

• अतिथि: guest
• अतिथि: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे पूर्वपद (guest); अव्यक्त-विभक्ति (समासपूर्वपद)

• समर्चनम्: proper worship/honouring
• समर्चनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् + अर्चन (अर्च् धातु; भाव-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; धातु-अर्च् (to worship) से भाववाचक

• विशन्ति: they enter
• विशन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अन्यानि: other (merits/acts)
• अन्यानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), 'having given'

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

• प्रशस्यानि: praiseworthy
• प्रशस्यानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + शस्य (शंस् धातु; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण; 'प्रशस्य' = प्रशंसनीय

• यमालये: in Yama’s abode
• यमालये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम + आलय (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (pitṛ/atithi dharma context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Kāśī household courtyard near the ghats: a small śrāddha setup with water vessel and food; a portion placed outside for birds/dogs (bhūta-bali); a traveler-guest welcomed with respectful offering; in the background, a subtle vision of Yama’s court where merits are praised.

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ancestral duty, compassion to living beings, and atithi-dharma create enduring merit recognized even beyond death.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s dharma-ethos is the frame: the verse supports tīrtha life through daily rites and hospitality, though no single tīrtha-name appears.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nitya-śrāddha, bhūta-bali offerings, and formal honoring of guests (atithi-samarcana).