Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 93
चतुर्थे प्रहरे प्राप्ते यः श्राद्धं कुरुते नरः । वृथा श्राद्धमवाप्नोति दाता च नरकं व्रजेत्
caturthe prahare prāpte yaḥ śrāddhaṃ kurute naraḥ | vṛthā śrāddhamavāpnoti dātā ca narakaṃ vrajet
جب چوتھا پہر آ پہنچے اور کوئی شخص اس وقت شرادھ کرے، تو وہ محض بے فائدہ شرادھ پاتا ہے؛ اور دینے والا قاعدے کی غفلت کے سبب دوزخ کو بھی جا سکتا ہے۔
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (deduced)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Listener: Pilgrimage audience
Scene: Late-day scene with the fourth watch indicated by deepening shadows; a śrāddha performer proceeds despite warning; the offering smoke dissipates without reaching ethereal pitṛs; a symbolic naraka motif (dark chasm) appears as moral consequence imagery.
FAQs
Dharma is safeguarded by precision; careless ritual timing can invert merit into demerit.
Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where correct Pitṛ-rites are emphasized as especially potent when properly done.
Do not perform Śrāddha in the fourth prahara (late period); it is declared fruitless and blameworthy.