Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 175

Devanagari script

राक्षसा ऊचुः । पिंडदानं नरा येऽत्र करिष्यंति तवाऽश्रमे । प्रेतोत्थं न भयं तस्य देवि क्वापि भविष्यति

Transliteration

rākṣasā ūcuḥ | piṃḍadānaṃ narā ye'tra kariṣyaṃti tavā'śrame | pretotthaṃ na bhayaṃ tasya devi kvāpi bhaviṣyati

Translation

Les Rākṣasas dirent : Ô Déesse, les hommes qui, ici dans ton ermitage, accompliront l’offrande des piṇḍas (piṇḍa-dāna) ne seront nulle part tourmentés par la crainte née des pretas (esprits errants).

Word by Word

• राक्षसाः: the rākṣasas
• राक्षसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• पिण्डदानम्: piṇḍa-offering
• पिण्डदानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पिण्डस्य दानम्)

• नराः: men
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यत्

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (here)

• करिष्यन्ति: will do
• करिष्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• आश्रमे: in (your) hermitage
• आश्रमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• प्रेतोत्थम्: arising from pretas (ghosts)
• प्रेतोत्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्थ (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (प्रेतात् उत्थम्)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• देवि: O देवी
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• क्वापि: anywhere
• क्वापि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय) + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (anywhere)

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Rākṣasas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Devī-āśrama tīrtha in Arbuda (as described)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (addressed as 'devi')

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Devī’s hermitage: sacred grove, simple hut, altar; men perform piṇḍadāna with reverence. Unusual narrators—Rākṣasas—stand at the edge, now subdued and truthful, acknowledging the rite’s power to remove preta-fear.

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasa
• Devī
• āśrama
• piṇḍadāna
• preta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Proper ancestral offerings (piṇḍadāna) performed at a sanctified place bring peace and protection from spirit-related fear.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse glorifies “your āśrama” within Arbuda Khaṇḍa as a powerful setting for piṇḍadāna and preta-śānti.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Piṇḍadāna (ancestral oblation/śrāddha-related offering) to be performed at the hermitage.