Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

मार्कण्डेय उवाच । मधुना सह दातव्यं पायसं पितृतुष्टये । तेन वै वार्षिकी तृप्तिः पितॄणां चोपजायते

Transliteration

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca | madhunā saha dātavyaṃ pāyasaṃ pitṛtuṣṭaye | tena vai vārṣikī tṛptiḥ pitṝṇāṃ copajāyate

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya dit : Pour réjouir les ancêtres, il faut offrir du pāyasa (riz au lait) avec du miel. Par cette offrande, assurément, les Pitṛs obtiennent un contentement durant une année entière.

Word by Word

• मार्कण्डेयः: Mārkaṇḍeya
• मार्कण्डेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• मधुना: with honey
• मधुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sambandha (Association/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक-निपात (particle meaning 'together/with')

• दातव्यम्: should be given
• दातव्यम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate: 'is to be given')

• पायसम्: rice-pudding (pāyasa)
• पायसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पितृतुष्टये: for the satisfaction of the ancestors
• पितृतुष्टये: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + तुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष समास (genitive determinative: 'of the fathers' satisfaction'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (तुष्टि), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तेन: by that (thereby)
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• वार्षिकी: annual
• वार्षिकी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वार्षिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• तृप्तिः: satisfaction
• तृप्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• उपजायते: arises/comes about
• उपजायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rohitāśva

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Preparation and offering of pāyasa with honey during śrāddha; brāhmaṇa receives, Pitṛs symbolically partake.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• pitṛ (ancestors)
• pāyasa
• madhu (honey)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Simple, sattvic offerings made with faith—like pāyasa with honey—can yield enduring merit and sustained Pitṛ satisfaction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate verse highlights śrāddha efficacy rather than naming a particular tīrtha; it belongs to the broader Tīrthamāhātmya context of Nāgarakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer pāyasa along with honey during śrāddha for Pitṛ-tuṣṭi, producing satisfaction lasting one year.