Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

आत्मघातेन निधनं यैषामिहविकमर्णाम् । तेपि तृप्तिं लभंतेत्र पिंडैः शिवगयाकृतैः

Transliteration

ātmaghātena nidhanaṃ yaiṣāmihavikamarṇām | tepi tṛptiṃ labhaṃtetra piṃḍaiḥ śivagayākṛtaiḥ

Translation

ഇവിടെ ആത്മഹത്യയാൽ മരിച്ച ദുർഭാഗ്യകർമ്മികളും, ശിവഗയയിൽ അർപ്പിക്കുന്ന പിണ്ഡദാനത്താൽ ഇവിടെ തന്നെ തൃപ്തി പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• आत्मघातेन: by self-killing, by suicide
• आत्मघातेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मघात (प्रातिपदिक; आत्मन् + घात)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• निधनम्: death, destruction
• निधनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative/Accusative singular

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Relative pronoun, nominative plural

• इह: here, in this world
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• येषाम्: of whom
• येषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Relative pronoun, genitive plural

• विकर्मणाम्: of (their) evil deeds/sinful acts
• विकर्मणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Demonstrative pronoun, nominative plural

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• तृप्तिम्: satisfaction, satiation
• तृप्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• लभन्ते: they obtain
• लभन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; Present indicative, 3rd plural (middle)

• अत्र: here, in this place
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• पिण्डैः: by the funeral rice-balls (piṇḍas)
• पिण्डैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• शिवगयाकृतैः: made at Śiva-gayā
• शिवगयाकृतैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिवगया + कृत (प्रातिपदिक; शिवगया-देश + कृ धातुज क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘कृत’—Instrumental plural; qualifying पिण्डैः

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śiva-Gayā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at a Kāśī ghāṭa-like sacred spot called Śiva-Gayā offers rice-balls (piṇḍa) with kuśa grass and water-libations; subtle forms of troubled departed souls become calm as Śiva’s presence sanctifies the rite.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Śiva-Gayā
• Piṇḍa
• Śrāddha
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s compassion expressed through Kāśī’s Gayā-like shrine extends relief even to the most troubled departed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śiva-Gayā (a śrāddha-focused sacred spot within Kāśī).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Piṇḍa offerings at Śiva-Gayā to propitiate and bring peace to departed souls.