Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 117

Devanagari script

एतन्मम वचः श्रुत्वा सांप्रतं भुवि मानवाः । निःस्वा अपि करिष्यंति श्रादमेकं हि तत्र च । गयाशिरसि सुव्यक्तं युष्माकं मुक्तिदायकम्

Transliteration

etanmama vacaḥ śrutvā sāṃprataṃ bhuvi mānavāḥ | niḥsvā api kariṣyaṃti śrādamekaṃ hi tatra ca | gayāśirasi suvyaktaṃ yuṣmākaṃ muktidāyakam

Translation

ครั้นได้ฟังวาจาของเราแล้ว มนุษย์ทั้งหลายบนแผ่นดิน—แม้ผู้ยากไร้—บัดนี้จักประกอบศราทธะอย่างน้อยหนึ่งครั้ง ณ ที่นั้น; เพราะที่คยาศิรัส พิธีนี้ปรากฏชัดว่าเป็นผู้ประทานโมกษะแก่ท่านทั้งหลาย

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object of śrutvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वचः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणवत् प्रयोगः

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive)

• वचः: speech/words
• वचः: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (also nominative possible; here object with etat)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), ‘having heard’

• साम्प्रतम्: now/at present
• साम्प्रतम्: Kala-adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साम्प्रतम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मानवाः: people/humans
• मानवाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• निःस्वाः: poor/destitute
• निःस्वाः: Visheshana (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निःस्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; मानवाः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• करिष्यन्ति: will do/perform
• करिष्यन्ति: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एकम्: one (single)
• एकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; श्राद्धम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• गयाशिरसि: at Gayaśiras
• गयाशिरसि: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गयाशिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• सुव्यक्तम्: very clear/manifest
• सुव्यक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक; सु + व्यक्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (मुक्तिदायकम्/स्थानम् इत्यर्थे)

• युष्माकम्: of you (all)
• युष्माकम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Genitive)

• मुक्तिदायकम्: granting liberation
• मुक्तिदायकम्: Visheshana (Predicate/attribute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्ति-दायक (प्रातिपदिक; मुक्ति + दायक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘मुक्तेः दायकः’

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gayāśiras

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpa (King)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A diverse group of pilgrims—rich and poor—gather at Gayāśiras; a humble family offers a simple śrāddha, while a luminous aura around the tīrtha signifies ‘mukti-dāyaka’ power.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Gayāśiras (Gayā)
• Mānavāḥ (humankind)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dharma is inclusive: even minimal offerings, when done at a powerful tīrtha with right intent, can yield great spiritual fruit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gayāśiras (Gayā), described as plainly ‘mukti-dāyaka’ for the ancestors.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform at least one śrāddha at Gayāśiras, regardless of wealth.