Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

शमी शनैश्चरेणाथ स्वीकृता शूद्रजातिभिः । राहुणा स्वीकृता दूर्वा पितॄणां तर्पणोचिता

Transliteration

śamī śanaiścareṇātha svīkṛtā śūdrajātibhiḥ | rāhuṇā svīkṛtā dūrvā pitṝṇāṃ tarpaṇocitā

Translation

ഹേ നാഥാ, ശമീവൃക്ഷത്തെ ശനൈശ്ചരനും ശൂദ്രജാതികളും സ്വീകരിച്ചു; ദൂർവാ പുല്ലിനെ രാഹു സ്വീകരിച്ചു, അത് പിതൃകൾക്ക് തർപ്പണം അർപ്പിക്കാൻ യോഗ്യമാണ്।

Word by Word

• शमी: the śamī tree/plant
• शमी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• शनैश्चरेण: by Śanaiścara (Saturn)
• शनैश्चरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शनैश्चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (particle: then/now)

• स्वीकृता: accepted/taken up
• स्वीकृता: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वी√कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे कर्तृ-निर्देशः तृतीयया

• शूद्रजातिभिः: by the Śūdra castes/communities
• शूद्रजातिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्रजाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शूद्रस्य जातिः)

• राहुणा: by Rāhu
• राहुणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वीकृता: accepted/taken up
• स्वीकृता: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वी√कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दूर्वा: dūrvā grass
• दूर्वा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूर्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• तर्पणोचिता: fit/suitable for tarpaṇa (oblations)
• तर्पणोचिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तर्पण + उचित (प्रातिपदिक); उचित < √वच्/√उच्? (प्रातिपदिक-रूप)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (तर्पणाय उचिताः/तर्पणोचितः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A river ghāṭ scene: a devotee offers tarpaṇa with cupped hands, dūrvā blades floating on water; nearby stands a śamī tree with a small lamp and black sesame offerings, symbolizing Śani; diverse pilgrims including śūdra communities participate respectfully.

Characters & Entities

• Śanaiścara (Saturn)
• Rāhu
• Śamī (tree)
• Dūrvā (grass)
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Śūdra-jātis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual materials are not random; specific plants are sanctified for particular cosmic powers and ancestral rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching belongs to a tīrtha-oriented chapter on sacred plants; no distinct place-name is stated in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Use dūrvā grass as appropriate for pitṛ-tarpaṇa; recognize śamī’s association with Śani (Saturn).