Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 94

Devanagari script

ये चान्ये नरके जातास्तत्र योन्यंतरं गताः । प्रयांत्याप्यायनं वत्स सम्यक्छ्राद्धक्रियावताम्

Transliteration

ye cānye narake jātāstatra yonyaṃtaraṃ gatāḥ | prayāṃtyāpyāyanaṃ vatsa samyakchrāddhakriyāvatām

Translation

നരകത്തിൽ ജനിച്ച് അവിടെ മറ്റു യോനികളിലേക്കു പോയവരും—വത്സാ—ശ്രാദ്ധം ശരിയായി ചെയ്യുന്നവരുടെ ശ്രാദ്ധക്രിയയാൽ പോഷണവും ആശ്വാസവും പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

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

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

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• नरके: in hell
• नरके: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• जाताः: born
• जाताः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √जन् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

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

• योनि-अन्तरम्: another birth/state
• योनि-अन्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अन्या योनि: = another womb/state)

• गताः: gone/entered
• गताः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √गम् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• प्रयान्ति: attain/go
• प्रयान्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथम-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• आप्यायनम्: nourishment/satiation
• आप्यायनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आप्यायन (प्रातिपदिक; √प्यै/√प्या (धातु) + ल्युट्/अन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• वत्स: dear child
• वत्स: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम्

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘properly’)

• श्राद्धक्रियावताम्: of those who perform śrāddha rites
• श्राद्धक्रियावताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध + क्रिया + वत् (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः/उपपद (श्राद्ध-क्रिया-वत् = possessing śrāddha rites)

Speaker

Unspecified (teacher addressing a listener as vatsa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: vatṣa (addressed as ‘dear one’ in the verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dutiful performer conducts śrāddha with piṇḍas and udaka; in a parallel realm, suffering beings in naraka and in harsh wombs receive cooling nourishment and their torment eases.

Characters & Entities

• Naraka
• Śrāddha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha, done correctly, can transmit support to beings suffering in painful states, expressing Purāṇic compassion and intergenerational duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is the sanctified context where śrāddha is taught as especially consequential.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform śrāddha ‘samyak’—properly according to rule—to confer āpyāyana (nourishment/relief) to departed beings.