Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 88

Devanagari script

तस्माच्छ्रूाद्धं प्रकर्तव्यं विप्रै श्चाष्टकुलोद्भवैः । अप्राप्तौ चैव तेषां तु कार्यं नागरसंभवैः

Transliteration

tasmācchrūाddhaṃ prakartavyaṃ viprai ścāṣṭakulodbhavaiḥ | aprāptau caiva teṣāṃ tu kāryaṃ nāgarasaṃbhavaiḥ

Translation

ஆகையால் ஸ்ராத்தம் எட்டு குலங்களில் பிறந்த பிராமணர்களால் செய்யப்பட வேண்டும்; அவர்கள் கிடைக்காவிட்டால் நாகர வம்சத்தில் பிறந்தவர்களால் செய்யப்பட வேண்டும்.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रकर्तव्यम्: should be performed
• प्रकर्तव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु) → kartavya (कृदन्त, तव्यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भावे/कर्मणि विधेयकृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• विप्रैः: by brāhmaṇas
• विप्रैः: Karana/Agent (करण/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अष्टकुलोद्भवैः: born from the eight lineages
• अष्टकुलोद्भवैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭa + kula + udbhava (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

• अप्राप्तौ: in the absence (non-availability)
• अप्राप्तौ: Adhikarana (Condition locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a + prāpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Modifier (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तु: however
• तु: Discourse marker (वाक्योपपादक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेष (but/however)

• कार्यम्: should be done
• कार्यम्: Kriya (Obligation predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → kārya (कृदन्त, यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भावे विधेयकृदन्त (gerundive/what is to be done), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नागरसंभवैः: by those born among the Nāgaras
• नागरसंभवैः: Karana/Agent (करण/कर्तृ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nāgara + saṃbhava (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

Speaker

Viśvāmitra (to the King)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahārāja (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A śrāddha setting: a householder with kuśa grass and piṇḍa offerings, seated brāhmaṇas representing the aṣṭa-kula; a secondary group of Nāgara brāhmaṇas shown as the permitted alternative; pitṛs subtly indicated in the upper register receiving offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (brāhmaṇas)
• Aṣṭakula (eight lineages)
• Nāgara (community)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha is not only devotion but regulated dharma; right agents (pātra) preserve the rite’s sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction is embedded in the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya; this verse focuses on local ritual protocol rather than naming the tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A hierarchy for selecting brāhmaṇas for śrāddha: first aṣṭakula-born; if unavailable, Nāgara-born.