Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

आर्यदेशप्रसूतैश्च श्लक्ष्णैश्चैव सुरूपिभिः । कारयेत्पिण्डदानं वै भास्करे कुतपस्थिते

Transliteration

āryadeśaprasūtaiśca ślakṣṇaiścaiva surūpibhiḥ | kārayetpiṇḍadānaṃ vai bhāskare kutapasthite

Translation

太陽が吉祥なるクタパ（Kutapa）の時にあるとき、ふさわしきブラーフマナによりピンダ供（piṇḍa-dāna）を行わせるべきである。高貴なる地に生まれ、所作は洗練され、性質も和らぎ美しき者たちによって、儀礼はまことに実りを結ぶ。

Word by Word

• आर्यदेशप्रसूतैः: born in Āryadeśa
• आर्यदेशप्रसूतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्य + देश + प्रसूत (कृदन्त; √सू (धातु) + प्र- उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (आर्यदेशे प्रसूताः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• श्लक्ष्णैः: gentle, refined
• श्लक्ष्णैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात

• सुरूपिभिः: by handsome (men)
• सुरूपिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सुन्दररूपिणः)

• कारयेत्: should cause to be done / should have performed
• कारयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) (णिच्/प्रेरणार्थ causative: कारय-)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त (causative)

• पिण्डदानम्: offering of piṇḍas
• पिण्डदानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पिण्डस्य दानम्)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/सम्भावनार्थक निपात

• भास्करे: when the sun
• भास्करे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भास्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कुतपस्थिते: being in the kutapa (midday) position
• कुतपस्थिते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुतप + स्थित (कृदन्त; √स्था (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कुतपे स्थिते) विशेषणम् (भास्करे)

Speaker

Śaṅkara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā/Narmadā tīra

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dharmanandana (addressed) / King in frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Midday sun overhead; a ritual platform by the river; piṇḍas placed on leaves; brāhmaṇas officiate while the yajamāna offers water and sesame; the Sun is depicted as witness (Sūrya-maṇḍala).

Characters & Entities

• Bhāskara (Sun)
• Kutapa (auspicious time)
• Piṇḍadāna
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ancestral rites bear full merit when performed at the proper time and through qualified, disciplined officiants.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā (Narmadā) sacred region is the broader setting of the Revā Khaṇḍa, where śrāddha and dāna are praised.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform piṇḍadāna during the Kutapa time, arranging it through suitable brāhmaṇas.