Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21
राजोवाच । कर्मणा केन पितरो निरयस्था द्विजोत्तमाः । स्वर्गं यांति सुपुत्रेण तारिताः प्रोच्यतां स्फुटम्
rājovāca | karmaṇā kena pitaro nirayasthā dvijottamāḥ | svargaṃ yāṃti suputreṇa tāritāḥ procyatāṃ sphuṭam
بادشاہ نے کہا: اے برہمنوں کے افضل! جو پِتر نرک میں ٹھہرے ہیں، وہ کس کرم/ودھی کے ذریعے نیک بیٹے کے ہاتھوں تارے جا کر سوَرگ کو پہنچتے ہیں؟ اسے صاف صاف بیان کیجیے۔
King (Rājā)
Listener: assembled brāhmaṇas (dvijottamāḥ)
Scene: The king, hands folded, questions the assembled brāhmaṇas; the queen stands beside him; scholars sit with manuscripts, ready to prescribe rites for pitṛ deliverance.
FAQs
One should actively seek the correct dharmic means to uplift ancestors, not rely on vague intention.
No tīrtha is named in this question; it introduces the topic of pitṛ-delivering ritual action.
The verse asks for the specific ‘karma’ (rite) that transfers ancestors from niraya to svarga.