Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

भगवञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि श्राद्धकल्पमहं यतः । दृश्यंते बहवो भेदा द्विजानां श्राद्धकर्मणि

Transliteration

bhagavañchrotumicchāmi śrāddhakalpamahaṃ yataḥ | dṛśyaṃte bahavo bhedā dvijānāṃ śrāddhakarmaṇi

Translation

ข้าแต่พระผู้เป็นเจ้า ข้าพเจ้าปรารถนาจะฟังวิธีการศราทธะที่ถูกต้อง; เพราะในหมู่ทวิชะนั้น ปรากฏความแตกต่างมากมายในการประกอบพิธีศราทธะ

Word by Word

• भगवन्: O Lord / venerable one
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), क्रियार्थक-अव्ययभाव

• इच्छामि: I wish/desire
• इच्छामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• श्राद्धकल्पम्: the procedure/rite of śrāddha
• श्राद्धकल्पम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध-कल्प (प्रातिपदिक; श्राद्ध + कल्प)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (श्राद्धस्य कल्पः)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• यतः: because/since
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक (causal)

• दृश्यन्ते: are seen/appear
• दृश्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (भेदाः इति)

• भेदाः: differences/varieties
• भेदाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• द्विजानाम्: of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• श्राद्धकर्मणि: in the śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धकर्मणि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध-कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; श्राद्ध + कर्मन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (श्राद्धस्य कर्म)

Speaker

Rohitāśva (implied from preceding verse)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mārkaṇḍeya (addressed as Bhagavan; explicit next verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king respectfully requests a definitive śrāddha procedure, expressing concern about many differing practices; the sage listens with compassionate seriousness.

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavān
• Dvija

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rituals should be grounded in right understanding; apparent diversity calls for clear dhārmic determination.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it frames a dharma-question within the Mahātmya section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The request is for śrāddha-kalpa (the correct method of performing śrāddha).