Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

कामेन विहितं काम्यमभिप्रेतार्थसिद्धये । वृद्धौ यत्क्रियते श्राद्धं वृद्धि श्राद्धं तदुच्यते

Transliteration

kāmena vihitaṃ kāmyamabhipretārthasiddhaye | vṛddhau yatkriyate śrāddhaṃ vṛddhi śrāddhaṃ taducyate

Translation

ศราทธะที่บัญญัติขึ้นด้วยความปรารถนาเฉพาะ เพื่อให้บรรลุสิ่งที่มุ่งหมาย เรียกว่า ‘กามยะ’ ศราทธะ และศราทธะที่ทำในวาระแห่งความเพิ่มพูนและความรุ่งเรือง เรียกว่า ‘วฤทธิ-ศราทธะ’

Word by Word

• कामेन: by desire/with a wish
• कामेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विहितम्: prescribed/ordained
• विहितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु) → विहित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• काम्यम्: desire-motivated (optional)
• काम्यम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; इच्छाविषयक-विशेषण

• अभिप्रेतार्थसिद्धये: for the accomplishment of the desired aim
• अभिप्रेतार्थसिद्धये: Sampradana (Purpose/Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिप्रेत + अर्थ + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; बहुपद-षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-समाससमूहः (अभिप्रेतः अर्थः यस्याः सा सिद्धिः)

• वृद्धौ: on an occasion of increase/prosperity
• वृद्धौ: Adhikarana (Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय

• क्रियते: is done/performed
• क्रियते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वृद्धि: increase/prosperity
• वृद्धि: Visheshana (Noun used adjectivally/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नामरूपेण विशेषणवत्

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha (as a category)
• श्राद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निर्देश

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A prosperous household at a sacred coastal kṣetra conducts vṛddhi-śrāddha: decorated space, brāhmaṇas seated for bhojana, offerings arranged; the yajamāna makes a clear saṅkalpa for growth and welfare.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rituals like śrāddha have distinct intentions; when performed with proper purpose and faith, they align household life with dharma and auspicious order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader discourse belongs to the Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya, situating dharmic rites like śrāddha within the sanctity of Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Two classifications are given: kāmya-śrāddha (for a desired aim) and vṛddhi-śrāddha (performed on occasions of prosperity/increase).