Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6
जाता ये गोत्रजाः केचिदपुत्रा मरणं गताः । ते यांति परमां तृप्तिममृतेन यथा सुराः । विप्रपादोदकक्लिन्ना यावत्तिष्ठति मेदिनी । तावत्पुष्करपात्रेषु पिबन्ति पितरो जलम्
jātā ye gotrajāḥ kecidaputrā maraṇaṃ gatāḥ | te yāṃti paramāṃ tṛptimamṛtena yathā surāḥ | viprapādodakaklinnā yāvattiṣṭhati medinī | tāvatpuṣkarapātreṣu pibanti pitaro jalam
Aqueles que nasceram na mesma linhagem, mas morreram sem filhos—alguns parentes assim—alcançam a suprema satisfação, como os deuses saciados pelo amṛta. Enquanto a terra perdurar, os ancestrais bebem água em vasos de lótus, umedecidos pela água que lavou os pés de um brāhmaṇa.
Bhartṛyajña
Scene: A śrāddha setting: a brāhmaṇa seated on kuśa, a householder pours water at the brāhmaṇa’s feet; the collected pādodaka becomes a luminous stream rising to the pitṛ-loka where ancestors drink from lotus-cups, appearing soothed and radiant.
FAQs
Śrāddha compassionately reaches even neglected or childless departed kin; sacred offerings and purity can grant them profound satisfaction.
The teaching occurs within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya; this verse highlights the metaphysical effect of viprapādodaka rather than a named bathing spot.
It extols viprapādodaka as a powerful sanctifier in śrāddha, describing how ancestors are sustained by it for as long as the earth remains.