Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

यः पितॄंस्तर्पयेत्तत्र प्रेतपक्षे जलैरपि । स तेषामनृणो भूत्वा पितृलोके महीयते

Transliteration

yaḥ pitṝṃstarpayettatra pretapakṣe jalairapi | sa teṣāmanṛṇo bhūtvā pitṛloke mahīyate

Translation

Quiconque, durant la quinzaine des défunts (Pitṛ/Preta-pakṣa), apaise là les ancêtres par des libations d’eau, fût-ce d’eau seule, devient quitte envers eux et est honoré dans le monde des Pitṛs.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• पितॄन्: the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितॄन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तर्पयेत्: should satisfy/offer libations to
• तर्पयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप्/तर्प् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच् (causative) भाव: ‘to satisfy’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• प्रेतपक्षे: in the fortnight of the departed
• प्रेतपक्षे: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रेतानां पक्षः (fortnight of the departed)

• जलैः: with water
• जलैः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-शब्दः ‘even/also’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अनृणः: free of debt (obligation)
• अनृणः: Karta-visheshana (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनृण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘ऋणरहितः’ (free from debt/obligation)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive)

• पितृलोके: in the world of the ancestors
• पितृलोके: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पितॄणां लोकः

• महीयते: is honored
• महीयते: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग: ‘is honored/glorified’

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic speaker not explicit in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rāmahrada

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas/Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: During Pitṛpakṣa, a pilgrim stands at Rāmahrada’s edge offering water with cupped hands; subtle ancestral silhouettes or a gentle light above the water suggests acceptance; the scene emphasizes simplicity and sincerity.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even simple offerings, when done at the right time and holy place, fulfill one’s duty to ancestors and bring spiritual honor.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the praise of the same tīrtha context—Rāmahrada.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

During Pitṛ/Preta-pakṣa, perform tarpaṇa to the Pitṛs at the tīrtha, even if only water is available.