Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

श्रीब्रह्मोवाच । यः कश्चिन्मानवः श्राद्धं स्वपितृभ्यः प्रदास्यति । प्रेतपक्षे चतुर्दश्यां नभस्ये मा सि संस्थिते

Transliteration

śrībrahmovāca | yaḥ kaścinmānavaḥ śrāddhaṃ svapitṛbhyaḥ pradāsyati | pretapakṣe caturdaśyāṃ nabhasye mā si saṃsthite

Translation

พระศรีพรหมาตรัสว่า: มนุษย์ผู้ใดก็ตามจะถวายศราทธะ (Śrāddha) แด่บรรพชนของตน ในวันจตุรทศี (Caturdaśī) แห่งปักษ์มืดที่เรียกว่าเปรตปักษะ (Pretapakṣa) เมื่อถึงเดือนนภัส (Nabhas/ภัทรปท)

Word by Word

• श्रीब्रह्मा: Lord Brahmā
• श्रीब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; आदरार्थ-उपपद ‘श्री’

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• कश्चित्: any/someone
• कश्चित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)

• मानवः: a man/human
• मानवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• स्वपितृभ्यः: to his own ancestors
• स्वपितृभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (sva-pitṛ = one’s own fathers/ancestors)

• प्रदास्यति: will offer/give
• प्रदास्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दा (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• प्रेतपक्षे: in the Pitṛpakṣa
• प्रेतपक्षे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चतुर्दश्याम्: on the fourteenth lunar day
• चतुर्दश्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नभस्ये: in the month Nabhasya (Bhādrapada)
• नभस्ये: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नभस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मास-नाम (month-name)

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संस्थिते: when (it) is situated/occurs
• संस्थिते: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संस्थित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from सम्-स्था (धातु))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; (when it is situated/occurring)

Speaker

Brahmā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā speaks authoritatively, declaring the efficacy of śrāddha on Pretapakṣa’s caturdaśī in Bhādrapada; a ritual scene with offerings, kuśa grass, sesame, and brāhmaṇas seated for śrāddha.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Pretapakṣa
• Nabhas (Bhādrapada)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha performed at the proper sacred time is upheld as a dharmic duty that supports and benefits one’s ancestors.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse segment focuses on the sacred timing (Pretapakṣa Caturdaśī in Nabhas/Bhādrapada); the specific tīrtha is not named in this line alone within the Tīrthamāhātmya context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering Śrāddha to one’s ancestors on Pretapakṣa Caturdaśī during the month of Nabhas (Bhādrapada).