Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

माहात्म्यं श्रावयेद्विप्राञ्छ्रीपतेः श्राद्धकर्मणि । घृतेन मधुना तेन तर्पिताः स्युः पितामहाः

Transliteration

māhātmyaṃ śrāvayedviprāñchrīpateḥ śrāddhakarmaṇi | ghṛtena madhunā tena tarpitāḥ syuḥ pitāmahāḥ

Translation

شری پتی (وشنو) کے شرادھ کرم میں برہمنوں کو یہ ماہاتمیہ سنانا چاہیے۔ اسی عمل سے پِتر ایسے سیر ہوتے ہیں گویا گھی اور شہد سے ترپن کیا گیا ہو۔

Word by Word

• माहात्म्यम्: glory, sacred greatness (eulogy)
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; कर्मपद (object)

• श्रावयेत्: should cause to be recited / should have (it) recited
• श्रावयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/optative sense in injunction), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative)

• विप्रान्: Brahmins
• विप्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन

• श्रीपतेः: of Śrīpati (Viṣṇu)
• श्रीपतेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; समासः—श्री + पति (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘श्रियाः पतिः’)

• श्राद्धकर्मणि: in the śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धकर्मणि: Adhikarana (Location/Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्धकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; समासः—श्राद्ध + कर्मन् (तत्पुरुषः)

• घृतेन: with ghee
• घृतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

• मधुना: with honey
• मधुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

• तेन: by that (means/act)
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तर्पिताः: satisfied, gratified
• तर्पिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप् (धातु) → तर्पित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• स्युः: would be / may become
• स्युः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• पितामहाः: grandfathers; ancestors
• पितामहाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

Speaker

Śiva (continued phalaśruti and ritual instruction sequence)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śrīpati-māhātmya (contextual)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (Contextual) a king addressed as 'dharādhiśa' / royal inquirer

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A śrāddha setting: a householder performs rites before brāhmaṇas seated in a row; a reciter reads the māhātmya; offerings of ghee and honey are symbolically present; pitṛs are envisioned as satisfied in the subtle realm.

Characters & Entities

• Śrīpati (Viṣṇu)
• Vipra (Brāhmaṇas)
• Pitāmaha/Pitṛs (ancestors)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scriptural hearing is itself an offering: reciting sacred māhātmya during śrāddha can satisfy the ancestors.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā-khaṇḍa māhātmya (connected with the Revā/Narmadā tīrtha tradition) is recommended for śrāddha recitation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

At a śrāddha for Śrīpati, have brāhmaṇas hear the māhātmya; it functions like tarpaṇa with ghee and honey.