Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

पितामहाद्यास्तत्राह्नि श्राद्धं नार्हंति कुत्रचित् । अथ चेद्भ्रांतितो दद्याद्धियते राक्षसैस्तु तत्

Transliteration

pitāmahādyāstatrāhni śrāddhaṃ nārhaṃti kutracit | atha cedbhrāṃtito dadyāddhiyate rākṣasaistu tat

Translation

その日には、祖父をはじめ諸祖霊は、いずこにおいてもシュラーダ（śrāddha）を受けるにふさわしくない。もし迷いにより供えれば、その供物は羅刹（rākṣasa）に奪われる。

Word by Word

• पितामहाद्याः: grandfathers and others (ancestors)
• पितामहाद्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (Nom. pl.); तत्पुरुषः (पितामहः आदिः येषाम्/पितामहादयः)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• अह्नि: on that day
• अह्नि: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन (Loc. sg.)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc. sg.)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अर्हन्ति: are entitled/deserve
• अर्हन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• कुत्रचित्: anywhere, in any case
• कुत्रचित्: Adhikarana (Scope/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुत्रचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/प्रकारवाचक (indefinite adverb: anywhere)

• अथ: then, moreover
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/प्रसङ्ग (then/now)

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (if)

• भ्रान्तितः: out of delusion, by mistake
• भ्रान्तितः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी एकवचन (Abl. sg.); हेत्वर्थे (from/owing to delusion)

• दद्यात्: should give/offer
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ह्रियते: is taken away
• ह्रियते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• राक्षसैः: by rākṣasas (demons)
• राक्षसैः: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (Instr. pl.); करण/कर्तृ-निर्देशे (by demons)

• तु: indeed, however
• तु: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेष (but/indeed)

• तत्: that (offering/rite)
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (Nom. sg.)

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual narrator/teacher addressing a king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cautionary allegory: a family attempts to offer śrāddha to ancestors on the wrong day; shadowy rākṣasas seize the offerings, while a priest warns them—contrasting light (proper rite) and darkness (confusion).

Characters & Entities

• pitāmaha (grandfather)
• ancestors
• rākṣasa
• śrāddha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual correctness safeguards merit: misdirected offerings do not reach the intended ancestors and can become spiritually fruitless.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is primarily a śrāddha-vidhi warning; it does not name a particular tīrtha in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It forbids offering śrāddha to pitāmaha and other ancestors on that day; if done mistakenly, the offering is said to be appropriated by rākṣasas.