Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

विधिहीनं तु यच्छ्राद्धं दर्भेर्वा मूलवर्जितैः । वितस्तेरधिकैर्वापि तत्सर्वं ते भविष्यति

Transliteration

vidhihīnaṃ tu yacchrāddhaṃ darbhervā mūlavarjitaiḥ | vitasteradhikairvāpi tatsarvaṃ te bhaviṣyati

Translation

لیکن جو شِرادھ ودھی کے بغیر کیا جائے، یا دَربھا کُش گھاس جڑ کے بغیر ہو، یا مقررہ ‘وِتَستی’ پیمانے سے بڑھ کر رسم کی ترتیب ہو—یہ سب عیوب تمہارے شِرادھ سے وابستہ ہوں گے۔

Word by Word

• विधिहीनम्: devoid of proper procedure
• विधिहीनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘विधिना हीनम्’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; adjective qualifying ‘श्राद्धम्’

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• श्राद्धम्: Śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma/Prameya (Object/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• दर्भैः: with darbha grass
• दर्भैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle)

• मूलवर्जितैः: deprived of roots
• मूलवर्जितैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्जित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; ‘मूलं वर्जितैः’ इति द्वितीया-तत्पुरुषः; adjective qualifying ‘दर्भैः’ (elliptic: दर्भैः मूलवर्जितैः)

• वितस्तेः: of a span (measure)
• वितस्तेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वितस्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• अधिकैः: exceeding (in length)
• अधिकैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; adjective (elliptic: दर्भैः ... अधिकैः)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक निपात (also/even)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; demonstrative (correlative to यत्)

• सर्वम्: all/entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; adjective to ‘तत्’

• ते: your/for you
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; possessive genitive

• भविष्यति: will become/shall be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Brahmā (contextual continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A śrāddha setting with a low altar, darbha spread incorrectly (rootless), measuring cord/hand-span (vitasti) shown as exceeded; the yajamāna looks anxious while a priest points to the fault.

Characters & Entities

• Śrāddha
• Darbha
• Vitasti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual integrity matters: correct materials and measured procedure reflect reverence toward ancestors and dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified; the focus is śrāddha-vidhi within the larger tīrtha narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform śrāddha according to vidhi; use proper darbha (with roots) and maintain prescribed measurements.