Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

विभक्तिरहितं श्राद्धं तथा मौनविवर्जितम् । दक्षिणारहितं यच्च तच्छ्राद्धं व्यर्थतां व्रजेत्

Transliteration

vibhaktirahitaṃ śrāddhaṃ tathā maunavivarjitam | dakṣiṇārahitaṃ yacca tacchrāddhaṃ vyarthatāṃ vrajet

Translation

ศราทธะที่ทำโดยไร้การจัดแบ่งส่วนอันเหมาะสม หรือปราศจากความสงบเงียบและสำรวมตามบัญญัติ หรือไม่ถวายทักษิณา ศราทธะเช่นนั้นย่อมไร้ผล

Word by Word

• vibhakti-rahitam: devoid of proper divisions/portions (vibhakti)
• vibhakti-rahitam: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vibhakti (प्रातिपदिक) + rahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (विभक्त्या रहितम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘श्राद्धम्’ विशेषण

• śrāddham: śrāddha rite
• śrāddham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• tathā: likewise, also
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/समुच्चयवाचक अव्यय (likewise/also)

• mauna-vivarjitam: lacking silence (i.e., without observing mauna)
• mauna-vivarjitam: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mauna (प्रातिपदिक) + vi-varj (वर्ज् धातु) + vivarjita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मौनं विवर्जितम्), भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘श्राद्धम्’ विशेषण

• dakṣiṇā-rahitam: without the honorarium/gift (dakṣiṇā)
• dakṣiṇā-rahitam: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक) + rahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दक्षिणया रहितम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘श्राद्धम्’ विशेषण

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (Relative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (which)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘श्राद्धम्’ विशेषण

• śrāddham: the śrāddha
• śrāddham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• vyarthatām: futility
• vyarthatām: Karma (Result)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyarthatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• vrajet: would become/go to
• vrajet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vraj (व्रज् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A long dining row of brāhmaṇas seated evenly; the householder serves measured portions; a sign of silence—raised finger or closed lips—indicates mauna; at the end, the householder offers dakṣiṇā (coins/cloth) with folded hands.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha is not merely feeding—it is a disciplined rite; correct procedure, restraint, and honoring priests uphold its efficacy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it is general śrāddha-dharma within a tīrtha-māhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Maintain proper arrangement/portioning, observe ritual silence/restraint, and give dakṣiṇā.