Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

रसा यत्र प्रशस्यन्ते भोक्तारो बंधुगोत्रिणः । राजवार्तादि संक्रंदो रक्षःश्राद्धस्य लक्षणम्

Transliteration

rasā yatra praśasyante bhoktāro baṃdhugotriṇaḥ | rājavārtādi saṃkraṃdo rakṣaḥśrāddhasya lakṣaṇam

Translation

എവിടെ ഭോജനം ചെയ്യുന്ന ബന്ധു-ഗോത്രസ്ഥർ ഭക്ഷണത്തിന്റെ രുചികളെ പുകഴ്ത്തിക്കൊണ്ടിരിക്കുമോ, എവിടെ രാജവാർത്ത മുതലായ ഗോസിപ്പുകളുടെ കോലാഹലം ഉണ്ടാകുമോ—അതുതന്നെ ‘രക്ഷഃ-ശ്രാദ്ധ’ത്തിന്റെ ലക്ഷണം; അയോഗ്യാചരണത്താൽ ദൂഷിതമായ ശ്രാദ്ധം.

Word by Word

• रसाः: tastes/dishes (flavours)
• रसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Locative-sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (relative adverb)

• प्रशस्यन्ते: are praised
• प्रशस्यन्ते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + शंस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• भोक्तारः: eaters/participants
• भोक्तारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोक्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• बन्धुगोत्रिणः: kinsmen and clan-members
• बन्धुगोत्रिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक) + गोत्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (बन्धवः च गोत्रिणः च), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; ‘भोक्तारः’ इति विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• राजवार्तादि: talk of kings and such
• राजवार्तादि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजवार्ता (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (राजवार्ता-आदि = ‘राजवार्ता इत्यादि’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समाहारार्थे

• संक्रन्दः: clamour/uproar
• संक्रन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संक्रन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• रक्षःश्राद्धस्य: of the rākṣasa-type śrāddha
• रक्षःश्राद्धस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षः (प्रातिपदिक) + श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रक्षसां श्राद्धम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• लक्षणम्: characteristic/mark
• लक्षणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (deduced from Purāṇic narration style within Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A śrāddha dining scene with two contrasting moods: on one side, relatives loudly praising flavors and discussing royal affairs; shadowy ‘rakṣaḥ’ presence implied. On the other, an ideal quiet śrāddha with composed brāhmaṇas and focused offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Śrāddha
• Gotra
• Rakṣaḥ-śrāddha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha is a sacred offering, not a feast; purity of intention and restraint in speech safeguard its merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The guidance is given in Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya, where correct pitṛ-rites complement pilgrimage sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoid conducting śrāddha as a social meal—do not invite same-gotra relatives as diners, do not indulge in loud worldly talk, and do not turn attention to culinary enjoyment.