Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 1
भर्तृयज्ञ उवाच । काम्यानि तेऽधुना वच्मि श्राद्धानि पृथिवीपते । यैः कृतैः समवाप्नोति मर्त्यो हृदयसंस्थितम्
bhartṛyajña uvāca | kāmyāni te'dhunā vacmi śrāddhāni pṛthivīpate | yaiḥ kṛtaiḥ samavāpnoti martyo hṛdayasaṃsthitam
ഭർത്തൃയജ്ഞൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ പൃഥിവീപതേ, ഇപ്പോൾ ഞാൻ നിനക്കു കാമ്യ ശ്രാദ്ധങ്ങളെ വിവരിക്കുന്നു; അവ ആചരിച്ചാൽ മർത്ത്യൻ ഹൃദയത്തിൽ നിലകൊള്ളുന്ന അഭീഷ്ടഫലം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.
Bhartṛyajña
Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Listener: Pṛthivīpati (king)
Scene: Bhartṛyajña begins a new teaching section before the king: a scroll/palm-leaf opened, ritual items arranged, and symbolic motifs of ‘heart’s desire’ (lotus at the chest) indicating attainment through kāmya-śrāddha.
FAQs
Śrāddha is presented not only as duty but also as a means to attain legitimate aims when performed according to dharma.
The discourse is situated in the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra-māhātmya within Nāgara Khaṇḍa.
An introduction to ‘kāmya’ Śrāddhas—special Śrāddha performances undertaken for specific desired outcomes.