Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30
अस्माकं देहि येन स्यात्तृप्तिर्वर्षसमुद्भवा । प्रदत्ते वंशजैः श्राद्धे दीनानां त्वं दयां कुरु
asmākaṃ dehi yena syāttṛptirvarṣasamudbhavā | pradatte vaṃśajaiḥ śrāddhe dīnānāṃ tvaṃ dayāṃ kuru
“Kurniakanlah kepada kami sesuatu yang dengannya kepuasan kami terbit sepanjang tahun. Apabila śrāddha dipersembahkan oleh keturunan kami, limpahkanlah belas kasihan kepada kami yang papa dan sengsara.”
Bhūtas/pretas/piśācas etc. (petitioners), reported by Śrī Bhagavān
Scene: The spirit-host, humbled, asks Śambhu for a boon: a means of year-long satisfaction through descendants’ śrāddha, and compassion for the wretched.
FAQs
Descendants have a dharmic duty to sustain the departed through śrāddha; compassion expressed through ritual becomes ongoing support.
The adhyāya’s emphasis remains Gayā and its śrāddha power, though this verse highlights the need for descendant-offered rites generally.
Offering śrāddha by descendants is presented as the means that yields lasting (year-long) satisfaction to the afflicted departed.