Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

यत्किंचिन्मंत्रहीनं वा कालहीनमथापि वा । विधिहीनं च संपूर्णं दक्षिणायां तु तद्भवेत्

Transliteration

yatkiṃcinmaṃtrahīnaṃ vā kālahīnamathāpi vā | vidhihīnaṃ ca saṃpūrṇaṃ dakṣiṇāyāṃ tu tadbhavet

Translation

ଶ୍ରାଦ୍ଧରେ ଯାହା କିଛି ମନ୍ତ୍ରହୀନ, କାଳହୀନ କିମ୍ବା ବିଧିହୀନ ହୁଏ—ସେ ସବୁ ଦକ୍ଷିଣାଦ୍ୱାରା ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ହୋଇଯାଏ।

Word by Word

• yat: whatever
• yat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• kiṃcit: anything
• kiṃcit: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक सर्वनाम

• mantra-hīnam: devoid of mantra
• mantra-hīnam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे कर्मधारयः (मन्त्रेण हीनम् / मन्त्रहीनम्)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• kāla-hīnam: lacking proper time
• kāla-hīnam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कालेन हीनम्)

• atha: and/then
• atha: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (then/and also)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (also/even)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• vidhi-hīnam: lacking prescribed procedure
• vidhi-hīnam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विधिना हीनम्)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• saṃpūrṇam: complete/fulfilled
• saṃpūrṇam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃpūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (yat kiṃcit)

• dakṣiṇāyām: in the dakṣiṇā (fee/gift)
• dakṣiṇāyām: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक अव्यय (but/indeed)

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; निर्देश

• bhavet: would become/should be
• bhavet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Unspecified (Tīrthamāhātmya dialogue voice)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder respectfully offering dakṣiṇā (coins/cloth/cowry pouch) to brāhmaṇas after śrāddha; the atmosphere conveys relief and completion; ritual items remain arranged neatly.

Characters & Entities

• Dakṣiṇā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charitable honoring (dakṣiṇā) is upheld as a powerful corrective that ‘completes’ ritual shortcomings when performed with sincere intent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This is a dharma/ritual principle within a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter; the verse does not specify a particular site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Give dakṣiṇā: it is said to make a śrāddha complete even if mantra, timing, or procedure were imperfect.