Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

हीनांगा ह्यधिकांगा वा यस्मिञ्च्छ्राद्धे द्विजातयः । भुंजते वृषलीनाथास्तदस्माकं प्रजायते

Transliteration

hīnāṃgā hyadhikāṃgā vā yasmiñcchrāddhe dvijātayaḥ | bhuṃjate vṛṣalīnāthāstadasmākaṃ prajāyate

Translation

ഏത് ശ്രാദ്ധത്തിൽ ഹീനാംഗരോ അധികാംഗരോ ആയ (അയോഗ്യ) ദ്വിജർ ഭുജിക്കുകയോ, അനുചിത ആസക്തി/സംഗതിക്ക് അധീനരായവർ ഭുജിക്കുകയോ ചെയ്യുന്നു—അത് ഞങ്ങളുടെ (പ്രേതങ്ങളുടെ) ഭാഗമാകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• हीनाङ्गाः: those with deficient limbs (defective)
• हीनाङ्गाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः: येषाम् अङ्गानि हीनानि ते

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (emphasis)

• अधिकाङ्गाः: those with extra limbs
• अधिकाङ्गाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः: येषाम् अङ्गानि अधिकानि ते

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्ययम्

• यस्मिन्: in which
• यस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धार्थे (in which)

• श्राद्धे: in the śrāddha (rite)
• श्राद्धे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• द्विजातयः: twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• द्विजातयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• भुञ्जते: eat
• भुञ्जते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• वृषलीनाथाः: men associated with/ruled by śūdra women
• वृषलीनाथाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषली (प्रातिपदिक) + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: वृषल्याः नाथाः (husbands/men attached to śūdra-women)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• अस्माकम्: for us/of us
• अस्माकम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• प्रजायते: arises
• प्रजायते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

Speaker

Māṃsāda

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpa (King)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A śrāddha feast line: some invitees appear ritually unfit; the householder looks uncertain; pretas gather behind the unfit diners, receiving the subtle essence of the offering.

Characters & Entities

• Śrāddha
• Preta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rites bear fruit according to fitness and propriety; wrong recipients and improper context distort the intended offering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Select ritually appropriate participants/recipients for śrāddha according to the tradition’s eligibility norms.