Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

तिलाञ्जलिं तु प्रेताय दक्षिणाशामुपस्थितः । श्राद्धं तत्रैव विप्राय कारयेद्विजितेन्द्रियः

Transliteration

tilāñjaliṃ tu pretāya dakṣiṇāśāmupasthitaḥ | śrāddhaṃ tatraiva viprāya kārayedvijitendriyaḥ

Translation

ദക്ഷിണദിശയെ അഭിമുഖമായി നിന്നുകൊണ്ട് പ്രേതാർത്ഥമായി എള്ളോടുകൂടിയ ജലാഞ്ജലി അർപ്പിക്കണം. അവിടെയേ ഇന്ദ്രിയനിഗ്രഹത്തോടെ ബ്രാഹ്മണനാൽ ശ്രാദ്ധം നടത്തിക്കൊള്ളണം.

Word by Word

• तिलाञ्जलिम्: a handful (añjali) of sesame
• तिलाञ्जलिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (तिलानाम् अञ्जलिः)

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle)

• प्रेताय: to the departed spirit
• प्रेताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• दक्षिणाशाम्: the southern direction
• दक्षिणाशाम्: Desha/Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा + आशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/देश), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः

• उपस्थितः: having stood near / being present
• उपस्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• विप्राय: to a brāhmaṇa
• विप्राय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• कारयेत्: should cause to be performed
• कारयेत्: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) [णिच् causative: कारय-]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्; णिजन्त (causative)

• विजितेन्द्रियः: one who has conquered the senses
• विजितेन्द्रियः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विजित + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिसमासः (विजितानि इन्द्रियाणि यस्य)

Speaker

Deductive (Revā Khaṇḍa narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (Narmadā)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍunandana (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solemn riverbank rite: the performer faces south, offers sesame-water in cupped hands; nearby a brāhmaṇa prepares śrāddha implements—kuśa grass, vessels, and offerings—under a simple canopy.

Characters & Entities

• Preta
• Śrāddha
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes gratitude to ancestors; tīrtha-rituals purify both the performer and benefit the departed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Karoḍī Tīrtha, where offerings to the departed and śrāddha are especially enjoined.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer tila-water (tilāñjali) to the departed while facing south, and arrange śrāddha through a brāhmaṇa with self-control.