Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 49
मृन्मयेषु च पात्रेषु यः श्राद्धं कुरुते नरः । भिन्नपात्रेषु वा यच्च तत्ते सर्वं भविष्यति
mṛnmayeṣu ca pātreṣu yaḥ śrāddhaṃ kurute naraḥ | bhinnapātreṣu vā yacca tatte sarvaṃ bhaviṣyati
ศราทธะใดที่บุรุษกระทำด้วยภาชนะดินเผา หรือด้วยภาชนะร้าวแตก—ทั้งหมดนั้นจักนับเป็นของท่าน
Brahmā (Lokapitāmaha), addressing the Rākṣasa
Scene: Close-up ritual still life: piṇḍas, sesame, water-pot, leaf plates; a cracked earthen pot set aside as inauspicious; the performer replaces it with an intact vessel, emphasizing careful preparation for Pitṛs.
FAQs
Even material details of ritual—fit vessels and careful preparation—are part of dharma and affect the rite’s merit.
The instruction appears in the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra-māhātmya narrative.
Avoid performing śrāddha with improper or damaged vessels; use ritually appropriate utensils.