Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 130

Devanagari script

ऐन्द्रवारुणवायव्याः सौम्या वै नैरृताश्च ये । प्रतिगृह्णंत्विमं पिंडं काका भूमौ मयार्पितम्

Transliteration

aindravāruṇavāyavyāḥ saumyā vai nairṛtāśca ye | pratigṛhṇaṃtvimaṃ piṃḍaṃ kākā bhūmau mayārpitam

Translation

ഇന്ദ്ര-വരുണ-വായു ലോകങ്ങളിലെയും, സോമദിക്കിലെയും, നൈഋത ദിശയിലെയും ജീവികൾ—ഹേ കാക്കകളേ—ഞാൻ ഭൂമിയിൽ അർപ്പിച്ച ഈ പിണ്ഡം സ്വീകരിക്കട്ടെ।

Word by Word

• ऐन्द्रवारुणवायव्याः: those belonging to Indra, Varuṇa and Vāyu
• ऐन्द्रवारुणवायव्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऐन्द्र + वारुण + वायव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्—(इन्द्र-वरुण-वायु-सम्बन्धिनः)

• सौम्याः: gentle/auspicious ones
• सौम्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle/emphasis)

• नैरृताः: the Nairṛtas (beings of Nirṛti’s quarter)
• नैरृताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैरृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचनम्; ‘निरृति-सम्बन्धिनः’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• ये: who/which (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचनम्; सम्बन्धबोधक-सर्वनाम

• प्रतिगृह्णन्तु: may (they) accept
• प्रतिगृह्णन्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• पिण्डम्: rice-ball offering (piṇḍa)
• पिण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्

• काकाः: crows
• काकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचनम्

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचनम्

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-karana/Agent (कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचनम्

• अर्पितम्: offered/placed
• अर्पितम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √अर्प् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि-कर्तरि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; ‘पिण्डम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Vyāsa (deduced from immediate narrative context of Dharmāraṇya instructions)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder performs śrāddha outdoors on purified earth, placing a rice-ball (piṇḍa) on the ground while invoking the quarters; crows gather respectfully as ritual recipients; subtle presence of dikpālas suggested by directional emblems.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Varuṇa
• Vāyu
• Soma
• Nairṛta
• Kākāḥ (crows)
• Piṇḍa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes compassion and sharing—offerings extend beyond oneself, acknowledging unseen beings and cosmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No; the verse concerns household bali/offerings rather than a pilgrimage location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Placing a piṇḍa on the ground and invoking acceptance by beings associated with various directions; addressing crows as recipients/mediators.