Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

अत्र श्राद्धे कृते ब्रह्मंश्चतुर्दश्यां निशाकरे । चित्रास्थिते प्रयास्यंति पितरस्तृप्तिमुत्तमाम्

Transliteration

atra śrāddhe kṛte brahmaṃścaturdaśyāṃ niśākare | citrāsthite prayāsyaṃti pitarastṛptimuttamām

Translation

โอ้พราหมณ์! เมื่อประกอบศราทธะ ณ ที่นี้ ในวันจตุรทศี (ขึ้น/แรม ๑๔ ค่ำ) ขณะที่พระจันทร์สถิตในนักษัตรจิตรา เหล่าปิตฤ (บรรพชน) ย่อมได้รับความอิ่มเอมสูงสุด

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• श्राद्धे: in the śrāddha (rite)
• श्राद्धे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• कृते: when (it is) done
• कृते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय; भूतकर्मणि/भूतकाले)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; ‘श्राद्धे’ इति सह सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahmin
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; ऋकारान्त/न्-प्रातिपदिक

• चतुर्दश्याम्: on the fourteenth lunar day
• चतुर्दश्याम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तिथिवाचक

• निशाकरे: when the moon (is ...)
• निशाकरे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘चन्द्रे’ इत्यर्थे

• चित्रा-स्थिते: situated in Citrā (nakṣatra)
• चित्रा-स्थिते: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘निशाकरे’ इति विशेषण; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थे ‘चित्रायां स्थितः’

• प्रयास्यन्ति: will go/attain
• प्रयास्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-या (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• पितरः: the ancestors
• पितरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तृप्तिम्: satisfaction
• तृप्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उत्तमाम्: highest/excellent
• उत्तमाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘तृप्तिम्’ इति विशेषण

Speaker

Bhagavān

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brahman (addressed brāhmaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A śrāddha scene at a riverside tīrtha: brāhmaṇa officiants, darbha, piṇḍas, water offerings; above, the Moon marked with Citrā symbolism; subtle presence of satisfied Pitṛs receiving offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Citrā (nakṣatra)
• Moon (Niśākara)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Service to ancestors is elevated when done at a sanctified place and auspicious time, reflecting Purāṇic dharma that links lineage duty with sacred geography.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha described in Nāgarakhaṇḍa Adhyāya 11, presented as highly efficacious for śrāddha and Pitṛ satisfaction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform śrāddha at this site on caturdaśī when the Moon is in Citrā nakṣatra.