Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30
अस्माकं देहि येन स्यात्तृप्तिर्वर्षसमुद्भवा । प्रदत्ते वंशजैः श्राद्धे दीनानां त्वं दयां कुरु
asmākaṃ dehi yena syāttṛptirvarṣasamudbhavā | pradatte vaṃśajaiḥ śrāddhe dīnānāṃ tvaṃ dayāṃ kuru
“വർഷം മുഴുവൻ തൃപ്തി ഉദിക്കുവാൻ കാരണമാകുന്നതു ഞങ്ങൾക്ക് ദാനം ചെയ്യണമേ. ഞങ്ങളുടെ വംശജർ ശ്രാദ്ധം അർപ്പിക്കുമ്പോൾ, ദീനരായ ഞങ്ങളോടു കരുണ കാണിക്കണമേ।”
Bhūtas/pretas/piśācas etc. (petitioners), reported by Śrī Bhagavān
Scene: The spirit-host, humbled, asks Śambhu for a boon: a means of year-long satisfaction through descendants’ śrāddha, and compassion for the wretched.
FAQs
Descendants have a dharmic duty to sustain the departed through śrāddha; compassion expressed through ritual becomes ongoing support.
The adhyāya’s emphasis remains Gayā and its śrāddha power, though this verse highlights the need for descendant-offered rites generally.
Offering śrāddha by descendants is presented as the means that yields lasting (year-long) satisfaction to the afflicted departed.