Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

पितॄनुद्दिश्य चाऽज्येन मधुना पायसेन च । कालशाकेन मधुना खड्गमांसेन वा नृप

Transliteration

pitṝnuddiśya cā'jyena madhunā pāyasena ca | kālaśākena madhunā khaḍgamāṃsena vā nṛpa

Translation

ഹേ നൃപാ! പിതൃകളെ ഉദ്ദേശിച്ച് നെയ്യും തേനും പായസവും കൊണ്ടു അർപ്പിക്കാം; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ കാലശാകവും തേനും കൊണ്ടോ, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ഖഡ്ഗമൃഗത്തിന്റെ മാംസത്താലും।

Word by Word

• पितॄन्: the ancestors
• पितॄन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• उद्दिश्य: addressing/with reference to
• उद्दिश्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद् + दिश् (धातु) → उद्दिश्य (अव्ययकृदन्त, ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (gerund); 'having indicated/aiming at'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• आज्येन: with ghee
• आज्येन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• मधुना: with honey
• मधुना: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• पायसेन: with sweet milk pudding
• पायसेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• कालशाकेन: with kāla-vegetable (a kind of greens)
• कालशाकेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + शाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कालस्य/कालवर्णस्य शाकम्)

• मधुना: with honey
• मधुना: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• खड्गमांसेन: with rhinoceros meat
• खड्गमांसेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खड्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (खड्गस्य मांसम्)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

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

Speaker

Unnamed narrator/teacher addressing a king (nṛpa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa/pārthiva (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual spread prepared for pitṛs: small bowls of ghee, honey, and sweet payasa; alternatively leafy greens with honey; the officiant points out permissible options to the patron.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• ājya (ghee)
• madhu (honey)
• pāyasa
• kālaśāka
• khaḍga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pitṛ rites emphasize conscious dedication (uddiśya) and appropriate offerings, with multiple accepted options preserved by tradition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

It is embedded in the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative; this verse enumerates offering-items rather than naming the tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer to the Pitṛs using ghee, honey, pāyasa, or alternatives like kālaśāka with honey, or khaḍgamāṃsa.