Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

कः कालो विहितः श्राद्धे कानि द्रव्याणि मे वद । श्राद्धार्हाणि तथान्यानि मेध्यानि द्वि जसत्तम । यानि योज्यानि वांछद्भिः पितृणां तृप्तिमुत्तमाम्

Transliteration

kaḥ kālo vihitaḥ śrāddhe kāni dravyāṇi me vada | śrāddhārhāṇi tathānyāni medhyāni dvi jasattama | yāni yojyāni vāṃchadbhiḥ pitṛṇāṃ tṛptimuttamām

Translation

ശ്രാദ്ധത്തിൽ ഏത് കാലമാണ് വിധിച്ചത്? ഏതു ദ്രവ്യങ്ങൾ? ശ്രാദ്ധാർഹവും മറ്റു മേധ്യമായ (ശുദ്ധമായ) വസ്തുക്കളും, ഹേ ദ്വിജശ്രേഷ്ഠാ—ഇവയാൽ പിതൃകൾക്ക് പരമ തൃപ്തി ലഭിക്കും; അവ എനിക്കു പറയുക।

Word by Word

• कः: which? (what)
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कालः: time
• कालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विहितः: prescribed, enjoined
• विहितः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective/कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+धा (धातु) → विहित (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• श्राद्धे: in/for the śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कानि: which (things)
• कानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; विशेषण (dravyāṇi)

• द्रव्याणि: materials, substances
• द्रव्याणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), बहुवचन

• मे: to me / for me
• मे: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वद: tell, speak
• वद: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• श्राद्धार्हाणि: fit for śrāddha
• श्राद्धार्हाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्राद्ध + अर्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (श्राद्धस्य अर्हाणि)

• तथा: and also, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—समुच्चय/उपमानार्थ (adverb: likewise)

• अन्यानि: other
• अन्यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• मेध्यानि: pure, ritually clean
• मेध्यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• द्विजसत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयार्थ (द्विजानां सत्तमः)

• यानि: which (things)
• यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• योज्यानि: to be used, applicable
• योज्यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) → योज्य (कृदन्त, यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: to be employed)

• वाञ्छद्भिः: by those desiring
• वाञ्छद्भिः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाञ्छ् (धातु) → वाञ्छत् (कृदन्त, शतृ-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle)

• पितृणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितृणाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• तृप्तिम्: satisfaction
• तृप्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उत्तमाम्: highest, best
• उत्तमाम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (तृप्तिम्)

Speaker

Ānarta (king of Ānarta)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king asks for precise rules: which times are ordained for śrāddha and which substances are fit and pure, seeking the highest satisfaction of the Pitṛs.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛ
• Dvija

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is practical: correct timing, purity, and appropriate offerings are integral to ancestral satisfaction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the focus is on śrāddha procedure.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Inquiry into the prescribed time (kāla) and the proper/pure substances (dravya, medhya) to be used in śrāddha.