Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

तत्र गोष्पदसामीप्ये चरुणा सुशृतेन च । पितॄणामनाथानां च मंत्रैः पिंडांश्च निर्वपेत्

Transliteration

tatra goṣpadasāmīpye caruṇā suśṛtena ca | pitṝṇāmanāthānāṃ ca maṃtraiḥ piṃḍāṃśca nirvapet

Translation

Là, près du lieu sacré nommé Goṣpada, avec du caru bien cuit, qu’on dépose aussi, au moyen des mantras, des offrandes de piṇḍa pour ces Pitṛs dénués de soutien (sans personne pour les servir).

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक/adverb of place)

• गोष्पदसामीप्ये: near the cow’s footprint (a small pool)
• गोष्पदसामीप्ये: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोष्पद (प्रातिपदिक) + सामीप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (गोष्पदस्य सामीप्यम्)

• चरुणा: with caru (cooked oblation)
• चरुणा: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• सुशृतेन: well-cooked
• सुशृतेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-शृत (प्रातिपदिक; शृ/श्रि? from √श्रि/√श्रु not; here PPP of √श्रि? actually √श्रि not; intended from √श्रि?; standard: सुशृत = well-cooked, from √श्रि/√श्रु?; treat as शृ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/भूतकर्मणि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; विशेषण (चरुणा)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक/conjunction)

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• अनाथानाम्: of the helpless/without protectors
• अनाथानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; विशेषण (पितॄणाम्)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक/conjunction)

• मन्त्रैः: with mantras
• मन्त्रैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• पिण्डान्: rice-ball offerings
• पिण्डान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक/conjunction)

• निर्वपेत्: should offer/scatter (as oblation)
• निर्वपेत्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्+वप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Narrator giving tīrtha-ritual instructions

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Goṣpada-tīrtha (within Prabhāsa)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis of Naimiṣāraṇya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Near a marked sacred footprint-like spot (Goṣpada), a priest and pilgrim arrange piṇḍas; a pot of steaming caru is offered; mantras are recited for unattended pitṛs.

Characters & Entities

• Goṣpada (tīrtha/spot)
• Pitṛs

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Compassion extends beyond one’s own lineage: dharma includes rites for forgotten or unsupported ancestors.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Goṣpada, a named sacred spot associated with the Prabhāsa-kṣetra ritual setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Near Goṣpada, offer piṇḍas with mantras using well-prepared caru, including for anātha Pitṛs.