Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 97

Devanagari script

तर्पणं पितृदेवानां श्राद्धं दानं सदक्षिणम् । तीर्थेतीर्थे च गोदानं नियतः प्रकृतो विधिः

Transliteration

tarpaṇaṃ pitṛdevānāṃ śrāddhaṃ dānaṃ sadakṣiṇam | tīrthetīrthe ca godānaṃ niyataḥ prakṛto vidhiḥ

Translation

จงถวายตัรปณะบูชาต่อบรรพชนและเทพทั้งหลาย ประกอบศราทธะ ให้ทานพร้อมทักษิณาอันสมควร และ ณ ทุกทีรถะจงทำโคทานโดยเคร่งครัด—นี่คือวิธีปฏิบัติที่ตั้งมั่นและกำหนดไว้แล้ว

Word by Word

• तर्पणम्: libation/oblation (satiation rite)
• तर्पणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर्पण (प्रातिपदिक; भाववाचक from तृप्/तर्प्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• पितृदेवानाम्: of the ancestors and the gods
• पितृदेवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (पितरश्च देवाश्च)

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

• दानम्: gift, donation
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• स-दक्षिणम्: with honorarium/fee (dakṣiṇā)
• स-दक्षिणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः—दक्षिणया सह; विशेषण—दानस्य

• तीर्थे: at a tīrtha
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• तीर्थे: at (each) tīrtha
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (each and every)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• गोदानम्: gift of a cow
• गोदानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गवां दानम्)

• नियतः: fixed, prescribed
• नियतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from नि+यम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण—विधेः

• प्रकृतः: established, customary
• प्रकृतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रकृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from प्र+कृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण—विधेः

• विधिः: rule, injunction
• विधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्ता/विषय

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra tīrthas (collective)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims at a coastal/riverine Prabhāsa tīrtha performing tarpaṇa with water in cupped hands, a śrāddha setting with brāhmaṇas receiving dakṣiṇā, and a ceremonial go-dāna near a liṅga-shrine precinct.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Devas
• Tarpaṇa
• Śrāddha
• Dāna
• Dakṣiṇā
• Go-dāna
• Tīrthas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A complete tīrtha-yātrā integrates devotion to gods with gratitude to ancestors, expressed through rites and generous giving.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction applies across the tīrthas of Prabhāsa kṣetra—‘at each tīrtha’.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tarpaṇa to pitṛs and devas, śrāddha, dāna with dakṣiṇā, and go-dāna at each tīrtha as a fixed procedure.