Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 131

Devanagari script

तस्माच्छ्राद्धं सदा कार्यं पितॄणां तृप्तिमिच्छता । तिलोदकं विशेषेण यथा ब्रह्मवचो नृप

Transliteration

tasmācchrāddhaṃ sadā kāryaṃ pitṝṇāṃ tṛptimicchatā | tilodakaṃ viśeṣeṇa yathā brahmavaco nṛpa

Translation

C’est pourquoi celui qui souhaite la satisfaction des Pitṛ (ancêtres) doit accomplir sans cesse le Śrāddha—en offrant tout particulièrement le tilodaka, l’eau au sésame—car telle est la parole de Brahmā, ô roi.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे प्रयुक्तम्; हेत्वर्थक-निपातवत् (therefore/from that reason)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (always)

• कार्यम्: to be done; obligatory
• कार्यम्: Kriya (Predicative/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कार्य (कृदन्त, यत्/अनीयर्-अर्थे)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (कर्तव्य/ought to be done)

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• तृप्तिम्: satisfaction
• तृप्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• इच्छता: by (one) desiring
• इच्छता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष् (धातु) → इच्छत् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्तः वर्तमानकाले; कर्तृवाचकः (by one who desires)

• तिल-उदकम्: water with sesame (tilodaka)
• तिल-उदकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तिलयुक्तम् उदकम्)

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणवत् (especially)

• यथा: as; according to
• यथा: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; यथार्थे/प्रकारे (as; according to)

• ब्रह्म-वचः: Brahmā’s word; scriptural injunction
• ब्रह्म-वचः: Hetu (Authority/प्रमाण-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणः वचः)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; concluding injunction; addressing nṛpa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa / narādhipa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder at a riverbank performs pitṛ-tarpaṇa: hands cupped, pouring sesame-mixed water while facing south; nearby a simple śrāddha setup with darbha, piṇḍa, and a seated brāhmaṇa; a subtle celestial presence suggests Brahmā’s sanction.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Brahmā
• Tilodaka (sesame-water offering)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Consistent ancestral reverence is a core dharma; tilodaka is singled out as a potent, accessible offering for Pitṛ satisfaction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is primarily a ritual injunction; no single tīrtha is directly named here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Śrāddha regularly, and in particular offer tilodaka (sesame-water) as taught under Brahmā’s authority.