Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

अकालेप्यथवा काले तीर्थे श्राद्धं च तर्पणम् । अविलंबेन कर्तव्यं नैव विघ्नं समाचरेत्

Transliteration

akālepyathavā kāle tīrthe śrāddhaṃ ca tarpaṇam | avilaṃbena kartavyaṃ naiva vighnaṃ samācaret

Translation

Будь то не вовремя или в надлежащее время, в тиртхе следует без промедления совершить шраддху и тарпану; не следует ни создавать, ни навлекать препятствий.

Word by Word

• अकाले: at an improper time
• अकाले: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ-निपात (also/even)

• अथवा: or
• अथवा: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• काले: at the proper time
• काले: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• तीर्थे: at a sacred place
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• तर्पणम्: libation/oblatory satisfaction rite
• तर्पणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अविलम्बेन: without delay
• अविलम्बेन: Karana (Manner/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविलम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (instrumental of manner)

• कर्तव्यम्: must be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्) ‘कर्तव्यम्’ = कर्तव्यं; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; श्राद्धं तर्पणं च इत्यस्य विधेयम्

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात

• विघ्नम्: obstacle
• विघ्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समाचरेत्: should occur/should befall
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tīrtha (general) within Kāśī teaching

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at a sacred ghat, sensing the fleeting opportunity, quickly arranges tarpaṇa and śrāddha with focused resolve; companions stand quietly to avoid disturbance; the river and temple spires witness the act.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In sacred geography, opportunity itself is sanctifying—perform ancestral rites promptly at the tīrtha and avoid negligence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The rule is taught in Kāśīkhaṇḍa, reflecting the tīrtha-primacy of Kāśī where śrāddha and tarpaṇa are especially efficacious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

At a tīrtha, do śrāddha and tarpaṇa immediately (even if not the ideal time), and do not introduce obstacles or delays.