Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

तिलोदकाञ्जलिर्देयो जलस्थैस्तीर्थवासिभिः । सदर्भहस्तेनैकेन श्राद्धसेवनमिष्यते

Transliteration

tilodakāñjalirdeyo jalasthaistīrthavāsibhiḥ | sadarbhahastenaikena śrāddhasevanamiṣyate

Translation

Ceux qui résident au tīrtha, debout dans l’eau, doivent offrir une poignée d’eau mêlée de sésame. Tenant la darbha d’une seule main, l’accomplissement du śrāddha est approuvé.

Word by Word

• तिलोदकाञ्जलिः: a handful (añjali) of sesame-water
• तिलोदकाञ्जलिः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल-उदक-अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तिलस्य उदकं, तेन अञ्जलिः)

• देयः: should be given
• देयः: Vidhi/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + यत् (कृत्) → देय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम्; ‘देय’ = दातव्यः (to be given)

• जलस्थैः: by those standing in water
• जलस्थैः: Karana (Instrument/Agentive-instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जलस्थ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम्; जलस्थ = जले स्थित (in water)

• तीर्थवासिभिः: by the tīrtha-dwellers/pilgrims
• तीर्थवासिभिः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ-वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; तीर्थे वासी (dweller at a tīrtha)

• सदर्भहस्तेन: with a hand holding darbha-grass
• सदर्भहस्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-दर्भ-हस्त (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः = यस्य हस्ते दर्भः सः (one whose hand holds darbha)

• एकेन: with one (hand)
• एकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; संख्या-विशेषणम्

• श्राद्धसेवनम्: the performance of śrāddha
• श्राद्धसेवनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध-सेवन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; श्राद्धस्य सेवनम् (performance/observance of śrāddha)

• इष्यते: is approved/considered proper
• इष्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; ‘is considered/approved’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-tīrtha (ghāṭa tarpaṇa)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims waist-deep in sacred water at Prabhāsa, offering sesame-water in añjali; one hand holds darbha; priests guide quietly on the ghat steps.

Characters & Entities

• Tīrtha
• Tilodaka
• Darbha
• Śrāddha
• Prabhāsakṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

At tīrthas, simple acts—sesame-water offering with darbha—carry deep ancestral sanctity when done properly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra and its tīrtha environment, where water-based offerings are central.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer tilodaka añjali while standing in water, holding darbha in one hand, as an approved śrāddha procedure.