Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

दक्षिणारहितं श्राद्धं यथैवोषरवर्षितम् । यथा तमसि नृत्यं च गीतं वा बधिरस्य च

Transliteration

dakṣiṇārahitaṃ śrāddhaṃ yathaivoṣaravarṣitam | yathā tamasi nṛtyaṃ ca gītaṃ vā badhirasya ca

Translation

ଦକ୍ଷିଣାରହିତ ଶ୍ରାଦ୍ଧ ଉଷର ଭୂମିରେ ପଡ଼ିଥିବା ବର୍ଷା ପରି; ଅନ୍ଧକାରରେ ନୃତ୍ୟ ପରି; କିମ୍ବା ବଧିର ପାଇଁ ଗୀତ ପରି।

Word by Word

• दक्षिणा-रहितम्: devoid of dakṣiṇā (fee)
• दक्षिणा-रहितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक) + रहित (कृदन्त; √रह्/रह्-त्यागे)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (दक्षिणया रहितम् = without dakṣiṇā)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/तुलना-वाचक (comparative ‘as/like’)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (emphatic/indeed)

• उषर-वर्षितम्: (like) rain on barren ground
• उषर-वर्षितम्: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उषर (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्षित (कृदन्त; √वृष् वर्षणे)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (उषरे वर्षितम् = rained upon a barren land)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/तुलना-वाचक

• तमसि: in darkness
• तमसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नृत्यम्: dance
• नृत्यम्: Upameya (Thing compared/उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction ‘and’)

• गीतम्: song
• गीतम्: Upameya (Thing compared/उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत (कृदन्त; √गै गाने, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (song = ‘that which is sung’)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)

• बधिरस्य: of a deaf person
• बधिरस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बधिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (विशेष्य-रूपेण), षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

Speaker

Unspecified (Tīrthamāhātmya dialogue voice)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Triptych-like imagery: (1) rain falling on cracked barren ground, (2) a dancer moving in pitch darkness with unseen audience, (3) a singer performing before a deaf listener—juxtaposed with a śrāddha scene lacking dakṣiṇā.

Characters & Entities

• Dakṣiṇā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Without generosity, ritual becomes fruitless—dakṣiṇā is depicted as the factor that makes śrāddha truly effective.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse uses moral-ritual similes and does not name a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It strongly warns against performing śrāddha without dakṣiṇā, illustrating the futility through vivid comparisons.