Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

ततश्च विप्रानाहूय वेदज्ञांस्तीरसंश्रयान् । विश्वेदेवादि संपूज्य पितॄणां श्राद्धमाचरेत्

Transliteration

tataśca viprānāhūya vedajñāṃstīrasaṃśrayān | viśvedevādi saṃpūjya pitṝṇāṃ śrāddhamācaret

Translation

ਫਿਰ ਤੀਰ ਉੱਤੇ ਵੱਸਦੇ ਵੇਦ-ਜਾਣੂ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਬੁਲਾ ਕੇ, ਵਿਸ਼੍ਵੇਦੇਵ ਆਦਿ ਦੀ ਯਥਾਵਿਧਿ ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰੇ ਅਤੇ ਪਿਤਰਾਂ ਲਈ ਸ਼੍ਰਾਦ੍ਹ ਕਰੇ।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) = ‘then/thereafter’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction) = ‘and’

• viprān: Brahmins
• viprān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचनम्

• āhūya: having invited
• āhūya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√hū (हू धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having invited/called’

• veda-jñān: knowers of the Veda
• veda-jñān: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (one who knows the Veda)

• tīra-saṃśrayān: dwelling at/attached to the bank
• tīra-saṃśrayān: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tīra (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (those resorting to the riverbank)

• viśve-deva-ādi: the Viśvedevas and others
• viśve-deva-ādi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśve-devāḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः; ‘Viśvedevas and others’ (group)

• saṃpūjya: having worshipped
• saṃpūjya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√pūj (पूज् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having duly worshipped’

• pitṝṇām: of the ancestors
• pitṝṇām: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचनम्

• śrāddham: the śrāddha rite
• śrāddham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचनम्

• ācaret: should perform
• ācaret: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√car (चर् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gomatī (Dvārakā)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On the Gomatī bank, the householder invites seated Veda-knowing brāhmaṇas; a small altar is arranged; offerings are made to Viśvedevas before commencing pitṛ-śrāddha.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvedevas
• Pitṛs
• Veda-knowing brāhmaṇas
• Gomatī (implied by context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pitṛ-dharma is best fulfilled through reverent śrāddha performed with learned officiants and proper deva-invocations.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha-bank (tīra) of Gomatī in the Dvārakā region (context of the chapter).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Invite Veda-knowing brāhmaṇas, worship the Viśvedevas, and conduct pitṛ-śrāddha.