Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

तस्याभावेऽपि दातव्यं क्षीरौदनमनुत्तमम् । तस्मिन्नहनि विप्रेभ्यः पितॄणां तुष्टये नृप

Transliteration

tasyābhāve'pi dātavyaṃ kṣīraudanamanuttamam | tasminnahani viprebhyaḥ pitṝṇāṃ tuṣṭaye nṛpa

Translation

അത് ലഭ്യമല്ലെങ്കിലും അത്യുത്തമമായ ക്ഷീരൗദനം (പാൽ-അന്നം) ദാനം ചെയ്യണം. ഹേ നൃപാ, ആ ദിവസത്തിൽ പിതൃതുഷ്ടിക്കായി ബ്രാഹ്മണർക്കു നൽകണം.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of that/its
• तस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अभावे: in the absence
• अभावे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-शब्दः (even/also)

• दातव्यम्: should be given
• दातव्यम्: Vidhi (विधि/prescription)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) → दातव्य (कृदन्त, तव्यत्)
• Form: कर्तव्यता/विध्यर्थक कृदन्त (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भावे प्रयोगः (it should be given)

• क्षीरौदनम्: milk-rice
• क्षीरौदनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक) + ओदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (क्षीरेण/क्षीरयुक्तः ओदनः)

• अनुत्तमम्: excellent, unsurpassed
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्षीरौदनम् इति विशेषणम्

• तस्मिन्: on that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अहनि: day
• अहनि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• विप्रेभ्यः: to the Brahmins
• विप्रेभ्यः: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), बहुवचन

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• तुष्टये: for satisfaction
• तुष्टये: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the sake of)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

Speaker

Unnamed narrator/teacher addressing a king (nṛpa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārthiva (King)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A simple, sattvika offering: a pot of milk-rice steaming; brāhmaṇas receive bowls; the donor dedicates the act to Pitṛs; the scene emphasizes purity and accessibility.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Brāhmaṇa
• nṛpa (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When ideal materials are not available, dharma provides accessible alternatives; intention and proper giving remain central.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction belongs to the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya setting; this verse itself emphasizes the ritual act rather than naming a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer kṣīraudana (milk-rice) to brāhmaṇas on the specified day for pitṛ satisfaction.