Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 132

Devanagari script

वित्ताभावेऽपि दर्शायां श्राद्धं देयं विपश्चिता । तदभावे च कन्यायां संस्थिते दिवसाधिपे

Transliteration

vittābhāve'pi darśāyāṃ śrāddhaṃ deyaṃ vipaścitā | tadabhāve ca kanyāyāṃ saṃsthite divasādhipe

Translation

แม้ขัดสนทรัพย์สิน ผู้รู้ก็ควรถวายศราทธะในวันทัรศา (วันเดือนดับ) หากยังทำไม่ได้ ก็พึงกระทำเมื่อพระอาทิตย์—เจ้าแห่งวัน—สถิตในราศีกันย์ (Kanyā)

Word by Word

• वित्त-अभावे: in the absence of wealth
• वित्त-अभावे: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वित्तस्य अभावः)

• अपि: even
• अपि: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अप्यर्थे (even/also)

• दर्शायाम्: on the new-moon (day)
• दर्शायाम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• देयम्: should be given/performed
• देयम्: Kriya (Predicative/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → देय (कृदन्त, यत्/अनीयर्-अर्थे)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (to be given)

• विपश्चिता: by the wise (man)
• विपश्चिता: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपश्चित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचकः (by the wise person)

• तद्-अभावे: in its absence (i.e., if that is not possible)
• तद्-अभावे: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तस्य अभावः = its absence)

• च: and
• च: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः

• कन्यायाम्: in Virgo (Kanyā)
• कन्यायाम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• संस्थिते: when (he) is situated
• संस्थिते: Adhikarana (Time-state/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-स्था (धातु) → संस्थित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः; विशेषणम् (दिवसाधिपे)

• दिवस-अधिपे: when the lord of the day (Sun) is (there)
• दिवस-अधिपे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (दिवसस्य अधिपः = सूर्यः)

Speaker

Unspecified in this snippet (continuing instruction within the Śrāddha-kalpa narrative)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A modest household performs a simple śrāddha on new-moon: minimal offerings, sincere posture; above, a darkened sky suggests amāvāsyā; a zodiac motif subtly indicates Kanyā as an alternative sacred timing.

Characters & Entities

• Darśā (Amāvāsyā)
• Sūrya (divasādhipa)
• Kanyā-rāśi (Virgo)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ancestral duty (pitṛ-dharma) should be upheld even with minimal means; sincerity and proper timing sustain the rite’s merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction occurs within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra-māhātmya of the Nāgara Khaṇḍa (a tīrtha-focused setting), though this verse itself emphasizes timing rather than a named spot.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Śrāddha on Darśā (Amāvāsyā); if not feasible, perform it when the Sun is in Kanyā (Virgo).