Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 100

Devanagari script

पितृप्रीतिप्रदं पीठं वृषभध्वजसंज्ञकम् । पितृतर्पणकृत्तत्र पितॄंस्तारयति क्षणात्

Transliteration

pitṛprītipradaṃ pīṭhaṃ vṛṣabhadhvajasaṃjñakam | pitṛtarpaṇakṛttatra pitṝṃstārayati kṣaṇāt

Translation

ഈ പുണ്യപീഠം ‘വൃഷഭധ്വജ’ എന്ന നാമത്തിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധം; ഇത് പിതൃകൾക്ക് പ്രീതിദാനം ചെയ്യുന്നു. അവിടെ പിതൃതർപ്പണം ചെയ്യുന്നവൻ ക്ഷണത്തിൽ തന്നെ പിതൃകളെ തരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• पितृप्रीतिप्रदम्: bestowing satisfaction to the ancestors
• पितृप्रीतिप्रदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृ-प्रीति-प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); ‘पितॄणां प्रीतिं प्रददाति’ इति

• पीठम्: sacred seat; pedestal
• पीठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• वृषभध्वजसंज्ञकम्: named ‘Vṛṣabhadhvaja’ (bull-bannered)
• वृषभध्वजसंज्ञकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृषभ-ध्वज-संज्ञक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); ‘वृषभध्वज’ इति संज्ञा यस्य

• पितृतर्पणकृत्: one who performs ancestor-offerings (tarpana)
• पितृतर्पणकृत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृ-तर्पण-कृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृ-धातोः क्विप्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (doer), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• पितॄन्: the ancestors
• पितॄन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तारयति: causes to cross; delivers
• तारयति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्; णिच् (causative) प्रयोगः

• क्षणात्: in an instant; immediately
• क्षणात्: Hetu/Avadhi (Cause/limit/हेतु/अवधि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Śiva (deduced from surrounding Kāśīkhaṇḍa discourse on Śaiva pīṭhas)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vṛṣabhadhvaja-pīṭha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At a stone pīṭha labeled Vṛṣabhadhvaja near the Gaṅgā, a pilgrim performs tarpaṇa: kneeling at the water’s edge, pouring water with black sesame through cupped hands, with priests guiding; subtle presence of pitṛs receiving offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛṣabhadhvaja
• Pitṛs
• Tarpaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Service to one’s ancestors through dharmic rites performed at a consecrated Śaiva site is portrayed as swift spiritual uplift for the Pitṛs.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The pīṭha called Vṛṣabhadhvaja in Kāśī, associated with Śiva (bull-bannered).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performing pitṛ-tarpaṇa (water-offerings/oblations to ancestors) at that pīṭha.