Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

ततो भगवता दत्ता तेषां चैव तु सा तिथिः श्रा । द्धकर्मणि संजाते विना शस्त्रहतं जनम्

Transliteration

tato bhagavatā dattā teṣāṃ caiva tu sā tithiḥ śrā | ddhakarmaṇi saṃjāte vinā śastrahataṃ janam

Translation

แล้วพระผู้เป็นเจ้าได้ทรงกำหนดติติ (วันจันทรคติ) นั้นเองให้แก่พวกเขา; เมื่อประกอบกรรมศราทธะ (śrāddha) พึงกระทำตามนั้น—เว้นแต่ผู้ที่ถูกสังหารด้วยอาวุธ เพราะมีข้อบัญญัติแยกต่างหาก

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequencer/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereupon)

• भगवता: by the Lord
• भगवता: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• दत्ता: given
• दत्ता: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘तिथिः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तेषाम्: to them/for them
• तेषाम्: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

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

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• तु: but/and then
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-अव्यय (adversative/contrast particle)

• सा: that (she/that)
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तिथिः: lunar day (tithi)
• तिथिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• श्राद्ध-कर्मणि: in the śrāddha rite
• श्राद्ध-कर्मणि: Adhikaraṇa (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (श्राद्धस्य कर्म)

• संजाते: when (it) has arisen/occurred
• संजाते: Adhikaraṇa (Locative absolute/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-√जन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘श्राद्धकर्मणि’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (when it has occurred)

• विना: excluding/without
• विना: Sambandha (Exclusion/वर्जन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: वर्जनार्थक-अव्यय (preposition/adverb: without/excluding)

• शस्त्र-हतम्: killed by a weapon
• शस्त्र-हतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + हत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (शस्त्रेण हतः)

• जनम्: a person
• जनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Viṣṇu (in dialogue with Śakra/Indra)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śrī Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu (as teacher) indicates a moon-disc marking the assigned tithi; beside him a scroll lists śrāddha rules; a separate vignette shows a fallen warrior, signaling the ‘weapon-slain’ exception.

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavat (Lord)
• Preta
• Śrāddha
• Tithi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even compassionate rites like śrāddha follow precise dharmic rules, including specific tithis and exceptions based on the manner of death.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching appears within the Śrīhāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya (Nāgara Khaṇḍa, Tīrthamāhātmya).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A designated tithi is prescribed for certain departed beings; those killed by weapons are treated separately (an exception clause).