Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

पितॄनुद्दिश्य यत्कव्यं ब्राह्मणेभ्यः प्रदीयते । स्नातैर्धौतांबरैर्मर्त्यैस्तद्भवेत्तृप्तिदं महत्

Transliteration

pitṝnuddiśya yatkavyaṃ brāhmaṇebhyaḥ pradīyate | snātairdhautāṃbarairmartyaistadbhavettṛptidaṃ mahat

Translation

पितरांना उद्देशून जे काव्य ब्राह्मणांना दिले जाते, स्नान करून स्वच्छ वस्त्रे परिधान केलेल्या मर्त्यांनी दिलेले ते महान तृप्तिदायक ठरते.

Word by Word

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

• उद्दिश्य: addressing/for (the sake of)
• उद्दिश्य: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद्+दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), 'उद्दिश्य' = having intended/addressing

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यत्

• कव्यम्: kavya offering
• कव्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: to the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), बहुवचन

• प्रदीयते: is given
• प्रदीयते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद

• स्नातैः: by (men) who have bathed
• स्नातैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; 'स्नात' = स्नानकृत (bathed)

• धौताम्बरैः: with washed garments
• धौताम्बरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धौत + अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (धौतं अम्बरं येषाम्/धौताम्बराः = with washed garments)

• मर्त्यैः: by mortals/men
• मर्त्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become/would be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तृप्तिदम्: satisfaction-giving
• तृप्तिदम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृप्ति + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (तृप्तिं ददाति = giving satisfaction)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Pitṛs (ancestors)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tīrtha ghat scene: a householder after bathing, in clean white cloth, offers kavya (piṇḍa/tila/water and dāna) to seated Brāhmaṇas with Pitṛs subtly present, receiving satisfaction.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Brāhmaṇas
• kavya
• snāna (bathing)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity, intention, and proper recipients make offerings spiritually effective; dedicated giving to support dharma directly nourishes the ancestors.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is within a tīrtha-māhātmya setting but does not name a specific site; it presents a rite commonly performed at sacred waters and pilgrimage places.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Give pitṛ-intended kavya to brāhmaṇas, performed after bathing (snāta) and wearing clean garments (dhautāmbara).