Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6
जाता ये गोत्रजाः केचिदपुत्रा मरणं गताः । ते यांति परमां तृप्तिममृतेन यथा सुराः । विप्रपादोदकक्लिन्ना यावत्तिष्ठति मेदिनी । तावत्पुष्करपात्रेषु पिबन्ति पितरो जलम्
jātā ye gotrajāḥ kecidaputrā maraṇaṃ gatāḥ | te yāṃti paramāṃ tṛptimamṛtena yathā surāḥ | viprapādodakaklinnā yāvattiṣṭhati medinī | tāvatpuṣkarapātreṣu pibanti pitaro jalam
Mereka yang lahir dalam garis keturunan sendiri namun wafat tanpa anak—sebagian kerabat demikian—mencapai kepuasan tertinggi, laksana para dewa yang dipuaskan oleh amerta. Selama bumi bertahan, para Pitara meminum air dari bejana teratai, tersirami oleh air yang membasuh kaki seorang brāhmaṇa.
Bhartṛyajña
Scene: A śrāddha setting: a brāhmaṇa seated on kuśa, a householder pours water at the brāhmaṇa’s feet; the collected pādodaka becomes a luminous stream rising to the pitṛ-loka where ancestors drink from lotus-cups, appearing soothed and radiant.
FAQs
Śrāddha compassionately reaches even neglected or childless departed kin; sacred offerings and purity can grant them profound satisfaction.
The teaching occurs within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya; this verse highlights the metaphysical effect of viprapādodaka rather than a named bathing spot.
It extols viprapādodaka as a powerful sanctifier in śrāddha, describing how ancestors are sustained by it for as long as the earth remains.