Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

ददाति तत्र यः पिण्डं नष्टेन्दौ शिवसंनिधौ । तृप्यन्ति पितरस्तस्य यावद्ब्रह्मदिनान्तकम्

Transliteration

dadāti tatra yaḥ piṇḍaṃ naṣṭendau śivasaṃnidhau | tṛpyanti pitarastasya yāvadbrahmadināntakam

Translation

Quiconque y offre un piṇḍa, à la nouvelle lune, en la présence même de Śiva, rend ses ancêtres comblés jusqu’à la fin du jour de Brahmā.

Word by Word

• ददाति: gives
• ददाति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

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

• पिण्डम्: a piṇḍa (funeral rice-ball offering)
• पिण्डम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नष्ट-इन्दौ: when the moon has disappeared (moonless)
• नष्ट-इन्दौ: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √नश्) + इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘नष्टः इन्दुः यस्मिन् काले’ इति (moonless time)

• शिव-संनिधौ: in the presence of Śiva
• शिव-संनिधौ: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + संनिधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘शिवस्य संनिधौ’ (genitive-tatpuruṣa)

• तृप्यन्ति: are satisfied
• तृप्यन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• पितरः: the ancestors
• पितरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• यावत्: until
• यावत्: Adhikarana (limit/अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधिवाचक (until/as long as)

• ब्रह्म-दिन-अन्तकम्: up to the end of Brahmā’s day
• ब्रह्म-दिन-अन्तकम्: Karman (Object as limit/कर्म-सीमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + दिन (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘ब्रह्मणः दिनस्य अन्तकं यावत्’ इति (up to the end of Brahmā’s day)

Speaker

Śiva (in dialogue with Devī/Pārvatī, inferred)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Somnātha) as śrāddha-tīrtha

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At a riverbank/ghāṭa near the Somnātha liṅga precinct, a pilgrim performs piṇḍa-pradāna on amāvāsyā: kusa grass, sesame, water vessel; the liṅga’s presence is visible; subtle ancestral forms receive offerings in a compassionate, solemn atmosphere.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Amāvāsyā (naṣṭendu)
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Piṇḍa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Service to the ancestors performed in a powerful sacred setting becomes enduring, reflecting the Purāṇic ideal of harmonizing devotion with familial dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, especially the locale near Śiva’s presence (liṅga) where pitṛ rites are said to yield extraordinary results.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering piṇḍa (piṇḍa-dāna/śrāddha-related act) on Amāvāsyā (naṣṭendu) in Śiva’s proximity.