Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

श्राद्धार्हैर्ब्राह्मणैः प्राप्तैर्द्रव्यैर्वा पितृवल्लभैः । अपर्वण्यपि कर्तव्यं सदा श्राद्धं विचक्षणैः

Transliteration

śrāddhārhairbrāhmaṇaiḥ prāptairdravyairvā pitṛvallabhaiḥ | aparvaṇyapi kartavyaṃ sadā śrāddhaṃ vicakṣaṇaiḥ

Translation

เมื่อมีพราหมณ์ผู้ควรแก่ศราทธะมาถึง หรือมีวัตถุทานอันเป็นที่รักของปิตฤแล้ว ผู้รู้พึงกระทำศราทธะได้แม้ในวันมิใช่ปัรวะ (วันเทศกาลตามติติ) และควรกระทำเสมอเมื่อมีโอกาส

Word by Word

• श्राद्धार्हैः: by śrāddha-worthy
• श्राद्धार्हैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्राद्धार्ह (प्रातिपदिक: श्राद्ध + अर्ह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (ब्राह्मणैः)

• ब्राह्मणैः: by Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• प्राप्तैः: who have come/arrived
• प्राप्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (ब्राह्मणैः)

• द्रव्यैः: with materials/wealth
• द्रव्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• वा: or
• वा: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक-अव्यय (or)

• पितृवल्लभैः: dear to the ancestors
• पितृवल्लभैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृवल्लभ (प्रातिपदिक: पितृ + वल्लभ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (द्रव्यैः)

• अपर्वणि: on a non-parvan day
• अपर्वणि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर्वन् (प्रातिपदिक: अ + पर्वन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘non-festival/non-parvan day’

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• कर्तव्यम्: should be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• सदा: always
• सदा: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (कर्तव्यम् इत्यस्य कर्तृस्थानीयं कर्म)

• विचक्षणैः: by the discerning/wise
• विचक्षणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (कर्तृ/कर्तृसाधन)

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña (sage)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-householder meets learned brāhmaṇas on the road near a sacred waterbody; he promptly arranges a simple śrāddha with available offerings, showing dharma as responsive action.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Pitṛ
• Śrāddha
• Parvan (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ancestral duty is not merely calendrical—readiness, sincerity, and proper recipients make Śrāddha timely at any time.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the instruction belongs to the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra śrāddha teaching framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Śrāddha even outside parvan days when suitable brāhmaṇas and appropriate offerings are available.