Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 88

Devanagari script

तस्माच्छ्रूाद्धं प्रकर्तव्यं विप्रै श्चाष्टकुलोद्भवैः । अप्राप्तौ चैव तेषां तु कार्यं नागरसंभवैः

Transliteration

tasmācchrūाddhaṃ prakartavyaṃ viprai ścāṣṭakulodbhavaiḥ | aprāptau caiva teṣāṃ tu kāryaṃ nāgarasaṃbhavaiḥ

Translation

پس شرادھ آٹھ خاندانوں میں پیدا ہونے والے برہمنوں کے ساتھ کرنا چاہیے؛ اور اگر وہ میسر نہ ہوں تو ناگر النسل برہمنوں کے ساتھ اسے انجام دیا جائے۔

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रकर्तव्यम्: should be performed
• प्रकर्तव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु) → kartavya (कृदन्त, तव्यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भावे/कर्मणि विधेयकृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• विप्रैः: by brāhmaṇas
• विप्रैः: Karana/Agent (करण/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• अष्टकुलोद्भवैः: born from the eight lineages
• अष्टकुलोद्भवैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭa + kula + udbhava (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

• अप्राप्तौ: in the absence (non-availability)
• अप्राप्तौ: Adhikarana (Condition locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a + prāpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Modifier (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तु: however
• तु: Discourse marker (वाक्योपपादक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेष (but/however)

• कार्यम्: should be done
• कार्यम्: Kriya (Obligation predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → kārya (कृदन्त, यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भावे विधेयकृदन्त (gerundive/what is to be done), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नागरसंभवैः: by those born among the Nāgaras
• नागरसंभवैः: Karana/Agent (करण/कर्तृ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nāgara + saṃbhava (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

Speaker

Viśvāmitra (to the King)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahārāja (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A śrāddha setting: a householder with kuśa grass and piṇḍa offerings, seated brāhmaṇas representing the aṣṭa-kula; a secondary group of Nāgara brāhmaṇas shown as the permitted alternative; pitṛs subtly indicated in the upper register receiving offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (brāhmaṇas)
• Aṣṭakula (eight lineages)
• Nāgara (community)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha is not only devotion but regulated dharma; right agents (pātra) preserve the rite’s sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction is embedded in the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya; this verse focuses on local ritual protocol rather than naming the tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A hierarchy for selecting brāhmaṇas for śrāddha: first aṣṭakula-born; if unavailable, Nāgara-born.