Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

संनिवेश्य दर्भबटूञ्छ्राद्धं कुर्याद्द्विजोत्तमाः । दक्षिणा भोजनं देयं स्थानिकानां चिरादपि

Transliteration

saṃniveśya darbhabaṭūñchrāddhaṃ kuryāddvijottamāḥ | dakṣiṇā bhojanaṃ deyaṃ sthānikānāṃ cirādapi

Translation

เมื่อจัดให้นั่งรูปแทนด้วยหญ้าดรรภะแล้ว พราหมณ์ผู้ประเสริฐพึงประกอบศราทธะ และควรถวายทักษิณาและภัตตาหาร—แม้แก่ชาวถิ่นนั้นด้วย—เพื่อให้พิธีสำเร็จตามธรรมแห่งสถานศักดิ์สิทธิ์

Word by Word

• संनिवेश्य: having seated/arranged
• संनिवेश्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-नि-विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• दर्भबटून्: the darbha-made/with-darbha novices (baṭus)
• दर्भबटून्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ + बटु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (दर्भमयाः बटवः)

• श्राद्धम्: Śrāddha
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• द्विजोत्तमाः: O best of the twice-born (Brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (द्विजेषु उत्तमाः)

• दक्षिणा: fee/gift (dakṣiṇā)
• दक्षिणा: Karta (Predicate-noun/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भोजनम्: food/meal
• भोजनम्: Karta (Predicate-noun/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• देयम्: to be given
• देयम्: Kriya (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देय (दा धातु, यत्/कृदन्त; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be given)

• स्थानिकानाम्: to/for the local residents
• स्थानिकानाम्: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थानिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• चिरात्: after a long time / long
• चिरात्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (also/even)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya instructional tone)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Addressed to dvijoत्तमाः (best of twice-born) as instruction; broader frame likely king-listener in surrounding verses

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A śrāddha setting: darbha laid out, piṇḍa plates, water vessels; brāhmaṇas seated; the yajamāna offers dakṣiṇā and serves a meal; local residents receive respectful portions near a tīrtha precinct.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha-śrāddha is fulfilled through correct ritual form and generous completion—especially gifts and feeding in a spirit aligned with the sacred place’s dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya; it praises tīrtha-based śrāddha practice in general rather than naming a single site in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Seat the darbha arrangements for the rite, perform śrāddha, and give dakṣiṇā and food—also to locals/residents.