Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

स्वाध्यायी यज्ञयाजी च तपश्चांद्रायणा दिकम् । तिलोदकं पितॄणां च श्राद्धं च विधिपूर्वकम्

Transliteration

svādhyāyī yajñayājī ca tapaścāṃdrāyaṇā dikam | tilodakaṃ pitṝṇāṃ ca śrāddhaṃ ca vidhipūrvakam

Translation

അവൻ സ്വാധ്യായത്തിൽ നിഷ്ഠനായി യജ്ഞകർമ്മങ്ങൾ ചെയ്യുന്നവനാകും; ചാന്ദ്രായണാദി തപസ്സുകൾ അനുഷ്ഠിക്കും; പിതൃകൾക്ക് തിലോദകം അർപ്പിച്ച് വിധിപൂർവ്വം ശ്രാദ്ധം നടത്തും।

Word by Word

• svādhyāyī: one who studies the Veda (self-reciter)
• svādhyāyī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svādhyāyin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्तरि-प्रयोगे ‘स्वाध्यायं करोति’ इति अर्थे कर्तृवाचक-नाम

• yajñayājī: sacrifice-performer
• yajñayājī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajñayājin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (yajñasya yājī = performer of sacrifices)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• tapaḥ: austerity, penance
• tapaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मपद (object)

• cāṃdrāyaṇā: cāndrāyaṇa vows (lunar penance)
• cāṃdrāyaṇā: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cāṃdrāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural); ‘व्रतानि’ इत्यर्थे (cāndrāyaṇa-vows)

• ādikam: and the like, etc.
• ādikam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘आदि’ = ‘इत्यादि’ (etc.), पूर्वोक्तानां समाहार-निर्देशक

• tilodakam: sesame-water (libation)
• tilodakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tila + udaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (tilaiḥ yuktaṃ udakam = water with sesame)

• pitṝṇām: of the ancestors
• pitṝṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (for/of the ancestors)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• śrāddham: śrāddha rite (ancestral offering)
• śrāddham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मपद

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• vidhipūrvakam: according to proper procedure
• vidhipūrvakam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidhi + pūrvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (vidhinā pūrvakam = according to rule); ‘śrāddham’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Śiva (deduced from Mahādevī-addressed dialogue in this adhyāya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Interlocutor receiving the kṣetra’s observance-list

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim performs tarpaṇa with tila-water facing the sea/holy water, while learned brāhmaṇas recite; nearby, a simple śrāddha setting with offerings, and a separate vignette of svādhyāya and tapas (cāndrāyaṇa discipline).

Characters & Entities

• Svādhyāya
• Yajña
• Cāndrāyaṇa
• Pitṛ
• Śrāddha
• Tilodaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is fulfilled through dharma-practice: study, sacrifice, austerity, and honoring ancestors.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Prabhāsa sacred region where these rites are especially efficacious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Svādhyāya, yajña-performance, Cāndrāyaṇa-type austerities, tilodaka offerings, and vidhi-based śrāddha.