Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

तत्रैव क्षत्रियान्हत्वा रक्तमादाय तद्बहु । तां गर्तां पूरयामास चकार पितृतर्पणम्

Transliteration

tatraiva kṣatriyānhatvā raktamādāya tadbahu | tāṃ gartāṃ pūrayāmāsa cakāra pitṛtarpaṇam

Translation

ณ ที่นั่นเอง ครั้นสังหารเหล่ากษัตริยะแล้วและนำโลหิตของพวกเขามามาก เขาก็ถมหลุมนั้นให้เต็ม และประกอบพิธีปิตฤตัรปณะ (pitṛ-tarpaṇa) เพื่อบูชาบรรพชนให้พอใจ

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय; locative adverb

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय; emphatic particle

• क्षत्रियान्: kṣatriyas
• क्षत्रियान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; accusative plural

• हत्वा: having slain
• हत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त); gerund/absolutive

• रक्तम्: blood
• रक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; accusative singular

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त); gerund/absolutive

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; demonstrative used adjectivally qualifying 'रक्तम्'

• बहु: much / abundant
• बहु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; adjective qualifying 'रक्तम्'

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; accusative singular

• गर्ताम्: pit
• गर्ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; accusative singular

• पूरयामास: filled
• पूरयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूरय् (धातु; causative of पूर्/पॄ)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्ण), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; perfect 3rd person singular (periphrastic-like usage)

• चकार: did / performed
• चकार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्ण), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; perfect 3rd person singular

• पितृतर्पणम्: offering to the ancestors (tarpana)
• पितृतर्पणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ + तर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; accusative singular

Speaker

Sūta (implied narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gartatīrtha / Raktagarta (implied by description)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grim battlefield quiets: Paraśurāma stands near a deep pit; blood is gathered and poured to fill it. Then he turns solemn, offering water with sesame (tilodaka) to the ancestors—hands cupped, gaze lowered.

Characters & Entities

• pitṛs (ancestors)
• kṣatriyas
• Rāma (implicit)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ancestral obligations (pitṛ-kārya) are central in dharma; the narrative links major historical acts with ritual duty toward the pitṛs.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A specific pit/trench is referenced, but the verse does not provide a proper name; such features often become localized tīrthas in later description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pitṛ-tarpaṇa (offerings to the ancestors) is explicitly mentioned.