Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

अनिष्टशब्दां संकीर्णा रूक्षां जन्तुमतीमपि । प्रतिगंधां तु तां भूमिं श्राद्धकर्मणि गर्हयेत्

Transliteration

aniṣṭaśabdāṃ saṃkīrṇā rūkṣāṃ jantumatīmapi | pratigaṃdhāṃ tu tāṃ bhūmiṃ śrāddhakarmaṇi garhayet

Translation

ในการประกอบพิธีศราทธะ พึงละทิ้งพื้นดินที่มีเสียงอัปมงคลปะปน วุ่นวายแออัด แห้งกระด้าง มีสัตว์เลื้อยคลานชุกชุม หรือปนเปื้อนกลิ่นเหม็นอันต้านกลิ่นหอม

Word by Word

• अनिष्टशब्दाम्: having unpleasant sounds
• अनिष्टशब्दाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (aniṣṭaḥ śabdaḥ yasyāḥ सा)

• संकीर्णाम्: mixed; crowded; contaminated
• संकीर्णाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संकीर्ण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कॄ (धातु) / √कॢ (धातु) with सम्- उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• रूक्षाम्: dry; rough
• रूक्षाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• जन्तुमतीम्: having creatures/insects
• जन्तुमतीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक) + मतुप् (प्रत्यय) → जन्तुमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective)

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Sambandha (Linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (particle 'also/even')

• प्रतिगन्धाम्: having foul/repellent smell
• प्रतिगन्धाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—उपपद-तत्पुरुष (prati + gandha)

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषणार्थक (particle 'but/indeed')

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• भूमिम्: ground; land
• भूमिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्राद्धकर्मणि: in the śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धकर्मणि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• गर्हयेत्: one should censure/avoid
• गर्हयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced from Purāṇic narration style within Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contrast tableau: on one side a serene, swept ritual ground with sprinkled water and kuśa; on the other a rejected site—noisy, crowded, dusty, with insects and foul vapour—while the priest directs the patron toward the pure spot.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha should be performed with careful purity of place, since the offering is meant to reach the Pitṛs without disturbance or contamination.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider teaching belongs to Prabhāsa Kṣetra Māhātmya, emphasizing correct conduct for rites within the Prabhāsa sacred region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoid performing Śrāddha on land that is noisy, crowded, dry, insect-infested, or foul-smelling.