Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

श्राद्धं तेषां प्रकर्तव्यं चतुर्दश्यां नराधिप । तेषां तस्मिन्कृते तृप्तिस्ततस्तत्पक्षजा भवेत्

Transliteration

śrāddhaṃ teṣāṃ prakartavyaṃ caturdaśyāṃ narādhipa | teṣāṃ tasminkṛte tṛptistatastatpakṣajā bhavet

Translation

«О царь, для этих усопших следует совершать шраддху (śrāddha) в четырнадцатый лунный день — чатурдаши. Когда она совершается в этот день, их тṛпти — удовлетворение и умиротворение — возникает соответственно, в согласии с обрядом той самой половины месяца.»

Word by Word

• śrāddham: śrāddha rite
• śrāddham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (object of obligation)

• teṣām: for them/of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक; तद्-प्रोनाउन)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध

• prakartavyam: should be performed
• prakartavyam: Kriya (Obligation predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√kṛ (धातु) → kartavya (कृदन्त; तव्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेयविशेषणम् (obligatory: ‘to be done’)

• caturdaśyām: on the fourteenth lunar day
• caturdaśyām: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caturdaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (time-locative)

• narādhipa: O king
• narādhipa: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara-adhipa (प्रातिपदिक; नर + अधिप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध

• tasmin: in that (rite)/when that (is done)
• tasmin: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (in that/when that is done)

• kṛte: when (it is) done
• kṛte: Adhikarana (Locative absolute element/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) → kṛta (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्तः; ‘tasmin’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• tṛptiḥ: satisfaction
• tṛptiḥ: Karta (Result/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्ता/फलम्

• tataḥ: thereupon
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Sequence marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘thereupon/from that’

• tat-pakṣa-jā: arising in that fortnight
• tat-pakṣa-jā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad-pakṣa-ja (प्रातिपदिक; तत् + पक्ष + ज)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘tṛptiḥ’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• bhavet: would be / becomes
• bhavet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Narratorial instruction within Bhartṛyajña–Ānarta dialogue (speaker not explicit in this verse)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Narādhipa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual scene on a river ghāṭa: the king sponsors a śrāddha on caturdaśī; a priest offers piṇḍas and water-libations; subtle lunar symbolism (waning moon, 14th day) indicates the prescribed timing; departed ancestors appear serene in a faint celestial register.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rituals for the departed bear fruit when performed with correct timing (tithi), aligning dharma with cosmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is part of a Tīrthamāhātmya setting, but no specific tīrtha-name appears in this shloka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform śrāddha for the concerned departed on caturdaśī (the 14th lunar day) for effective tṛpti (satisfaction).