Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

विरूपा आमगर्भा येऽज्ञाता ज्ञाताः कुले मम । तेषां पिंडो मया दत्तो ह्यक्षय्यमुपतिष्ठताम्

Transliteration

virūpā āmagarbhā ye'jñātā jñātāḥ kule mama | teṣāṃ piṃḍo mayā datto hyakṣayyamupatiṣṭhatām

Translation

Qu’ils aient été difformes, ou morts comme des embryons non encore formés; qu’ils soient inconnus ou connus dans ma lignée—j’ai offert pour eux ce piṇḍa; qu’il devienne un appui inépuisable.

Word by Word

• विरूपाः: deformed/ugly
• विरूपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (ये)

• आमगर्भाः: those with unformed/miscarried embryos
• आमगर्भाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आम (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘आमः गर्भः येषाम्’/‘अपरिपक्वगर्भाः’ (with unripe/unfinished womb-state; miscarried/aborted)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अज्ञाताः: unknown
• अज्ञाताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + ज्ञात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ज्ञाताः: known
• ज्ञाताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कुले: in the family
• कुले: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• पिण्डः: the piṇḍa offering
• पिण्डः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्तृकरण (agent/instrument)

• दत्तः: given
• दत्तः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate participle with पिण्डः)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipāta (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/हेतुबोधक-अव्यय (particle: indeed/for)

• अक्षय्यम्: imperishable/undiminishing
• अक्षय्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + क्षय्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘अक्षय’ अर्थे; कर्मपद (object-complement with उपतिष्ठताम्)

• उपतिष्ठताम्: may (it) be present/attend (them)
• उपतिष्ठताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-स्था (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; आशीर्वादार्थे (may it attend/stand by)

Speaker

Ritual officiant/pilgrim reciting the piṇḍa-dāna saṅkalpa within the Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya narration (speaker not explicit in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The devotee places piṇḍas with reverence, while subtle, translucent forms of varied ancestors—known and unknown, including tiny embryo-symbols—are shown receiving light; the word ‘akṣayya’ is implied by an unending stream of sanctified radiance.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

No life is excluded from remembrance; offerings at a tīrtha are extended even to unknown kin and those who died before full birth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where piṇḍa-dāna is portrayed as yielding akṣayya (inexhaustible) benefit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Piṇḍa-dāna dedicated inclusively (known/unknown, various death conditions), with the prayer for akṣayya fruit.