Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 82

Devanagari script

पितॄनुद्दिश्य यच्छंति मम हासः प्रजायते । अन्नस्योपद्रवं यच्च मृतो हि किमशिष्यत

Transliteration

pitṝnuddiśya yacchaṃti mama hāsaḥ prajāyate | annasyopadravaṃ yacca mṛto hi kimaśiṣyata

Translation

Quand les hommes font des dons « adressés aux ancêtres », le rire s’élève en moi. Et la nourriture se gâte aussi : qu’un mort, en vérité, pourrait-il manger ou savourer ?

Word by Word

• पितṝन्: ancestors/fathers
• पितṝन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Plural)

• उद्दिश्य: intending/with reference to
• उद्दिश्य: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद्-√दिश् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive: 'having intended/addressed')

• यच्छन्ति: they give
• यच्छन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (Present, 3rd person, Plural)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive, Singular)

• हासः: laughter
• हासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• प्रजायते: arises/is produced
• प्रजायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (Present, 3rd person, Singular)

• अन्नस्य: of food
• अन्नस्य: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Genitive, Singular)

• उपद्रवम्: harm/disturbance
• उपद्रवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपद्रव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• यत्: which/that
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; relative)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• मृतः: dead
• मृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: मृ (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Past participle; Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; indeed)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; interrogative)

• अशिष्यत: remained/was left
• अशिष्यत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शिष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Imperfect, 3rd person, Singular)

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (a skeptical/polemical voice within the narrative context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A scoffer laughs at a śrāddha setting—pinda offerings and water vessel—while elders and family members look pained; a dharmic teacher stands ready to explain the unseen principle of pitṛ-satisfaction.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (ancestors)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It presents a skeptical challenge to ancestor-offerings, setting up a dharma-discussion where true intent and correct understanding are later clarified by Purāṇic teaching.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śrāddha/pitṛ-dāna is referenced indirectly (giving in the name of ancestors), but no procedure is prescribed here.