Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

निःशेषदोषदावाग्नौ महीसागरसंगमे । पितॄणां देवतानां च कृत्वा तर्पणसत्क्रियाः

Transliteration

niḥśeṣadoṣadāvāgnau mahīsāgarasaṃgame | pitṝṇāṃ devatānāṃ ca kṛtvā tarpaṇasatkriyāḥ

Translation

À la confluence de la terre et de l’océan—tel un feu de forêt consumant toute faute restante—ils accomplirent selon le rite le tarpaṇa et les offrandes révérencieuses aux Pitṛs et aux dieux.

Word by Word

• निःशेष-दोष-दावाग्नौ: in the wildfire of (burning) all faults completely
• निःशेष-दोष-दावाग्नौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निःशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + दोष (प्रातिपदिक) + दावाग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; ‘निःशेषाः दोषाः’ इति विशेषणपूर्वकः); पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन

• महीसागर-संगमे: at the land-sea confluence
• महीसागर-संगमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + सागर (प्रातिपदिक) + संगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः; पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (Beneficiary relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th case/genitive); बहुवचन

• देवतानाम्: of the deities
• देवतानाम्: Sambandha (Beneficiary relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having done’

• तर्पण-सत्क्रियाः: libations and proper rites
• तर्पण-सत्क्रियाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर्पण (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (द्वन्द्वः: तर्पणं च सत्क्रियाश्च); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd case); बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahī–Sāgara-saṅgama

Type: sangam

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the shoreline confluence, brāhmaṇas stand in shallow water offering tarpaṇa with cupped hands; a symbolic ‘fire of purity’ aura surrounds the sangama, while offerings flow toward ancestors and gods.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Devatās

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred confluences amplify dharma: tarpaṇa and proper rites can purify faults and honor both ancestors and deities.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A saṅgama described as the confluence of earth and ocean (mahī-sāgara-saṅgama), praised for sin-destroying potency.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performing tarpaṇa and satkriyā—proper libations/offerings and observances—for Pitṛs and devatās.