Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 75

Devanagari script

नित्यं पितॄन्समुद्दिश्य बहवोऽत्र नराधिप । कव्यभागान्पुनस्तेषां तथा पूर्वं यथा नृप

Transliteration

nityaṃ pitṝnsamuddiśya bahavo'tra narādhipa | kavyabhāgānpunasteṣāṃ tathā pūrvaṃ yathā nṛpa

Translation

ഹേ നരാധിപാ! ഇവിടെ പലരും നിത്യമായി പിതൃകളെ ഉദ്ദേശിച്ച് അർപ്പണം ചെയ്യുന്നു; എങ്കിലും, ഹേ നൃപാ, അവരുടെ കവ്യഭാഗം മുൻപുപോലെ ലഭിക്കുന്നില്ല।

Word by Word

• नित्यम्: always, regularly
• नित्यम्: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (adverbial accusative)

• पितॄन्: the fathers/ancestors
• पितॄन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम्

• समुद्दिश्य: having addressed/aimed at (in dedication)
• समुद्दिश्य: Kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उद् + दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्तम् (Gerund/Absolutive)

• बहवः: many (people)
• बहवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (locative adverb)

• नराधिप: O lord of men (king)
• नराधिप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + अधिप (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः—नराणाम् अधिपः

• कव्यभागान्: shares/portions of the funeral offering
• कव्यभागान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कव्य + भाग (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—कव्यस्य भागाः (पितृभ्यः दातव्याः अंशाः)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (again)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• तथा: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकारवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (thus)

• पूर्वम्: formerly, as before
• पूर्वम्: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (formerly)

• यथा: as, just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparison/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (as, just as)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Unspecified narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya (addressing a king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (narādhipa/nṛpa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: People perform regular Pitṛ-dedications, yet the ancestral ‘kavya portions’ are mysteriously not received as formerly—suggesting an unseen obstruction between human rite and Pitṛ realm.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Kavya-bhāga
• Śrāddha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual continuity alone is insufficient; the proper conditions of dharma (right method, dedication, and worthiness) determine whether the Pitṛs truly receive the kavya portion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse remains within a tīrtha-māhātmya frame, but it discusses the mechanics of offerings rather than naming the tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular dedication of offerings to the Pitṛs and ensuring the correct conveyance of the kavya-bhāga through proper śrāddha procedure.