Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन ब्राह्मणेन विजानता । विभक्तिभिर्यथोक्ताभिः श्राद्धे कार्यो विधिः सदा

Transliteration

tasmātsarvaprayatnena brāhmaṇena vijānatā | vibhaktibhiryathoktābhiḥ śrāddhe kāryo vidhiḥ sadā

Translation

C’est pourquoi un Brāhmaṇa instruit doit, avec tous ses efforts, accomplir toujours le rite du śrāddha en employant les formes casuelles exactement telles qu’elles sont prescrites.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Reason (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/सम्बन्धसूचक): ‘तस्मात्’ = ‘therefore/from that’ (ablatival adverbial use)

• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: with all effort
• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-समासान्त ‘प्रयत्न’ आधार; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; ‘with all effort’ (instrumental adverbial)

• ब्राह्मणेन: by a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणेन: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• विजानता: who knows (properly)
• विजानता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + ज्ञा (धातु) → विजानत् (कृदन्त-शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; ‘knowing/understanding’ (agreeing with ब्राह्मणेन)

• विभक्तिभिः: with the case-endings/declensional forms
• विभक्तिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• यथोक्ताभिः: as prescribed
• यथोक्ताभिः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + उक्त (कृदन्त) → यथोक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; ‘as stated’ (qualifying विभक्तिभिः)

• श्राद्धे: in the śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• कार्यः: to be done/should be performed
• कार्यः: Vidhi/Obligation (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कार्य (कृदन्त-तव्यत्/यत्)
• Form: तव्य/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त भाव्य/विधेय; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधिः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• विधिः: the procedure/rite
• विधिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A confident officiant performs śrāddha flawlessly: kuśa arranged, piṇḍas placed, water offerings poured, while a manuscript with marked vibhaktis lies beside him—symbol of knowledge and effort.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• śrāddha
• vibhakti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld by disciplined practice—knowledge and careful execution preserve the rite’s sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific holy site is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A learned officiant should follow the prescribed case-endings and procedure in śrāddha at all times.