Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

आत्मघातेन निधनं यैषामिहविकमर्णाम् । तेपि तृप्तिं लभंतेत्र पिंडैः शिवगयाकृतैः

Transliteration

ātmaghātena nidhanaṃ yaiṣāmihavikamarṇām | tepi tṛptiṃ labhaṃtetra piṃḍaiḥ śivagayākṛtaiḥ

Translation

Ngay cả những người chết do tự hủy hoại thân mình—kẻ mang nghiệp số nặng nề—cũng được an thỏa tại đây nhờ lễ dâng piṇḍa cử hành ở Śiva-Gayā.

Word by Word

• आत्मघातेन: by self-killing, by suicide
• आत्मघातेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मघात (प्रातिपदिक; आत्मन् + घात)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• निधनम्: death, destruction
• निधनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative/Accusative singular

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Relative pronoun, nominative plural

• इह: here, in this world
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• येषाम्: of whom
• येषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Relative pronoun, genitive plural

• विकर्मणाम्: of (their) evil deeds/sinful acts
• विकर्मणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Demonstrative pronoun, nominative plural

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• तृप्तिम्: satisfaction, satiation
• तृप्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• लभन्ते: they obtain
• लभन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; Present indicative, 3rd plural (middle)

• अत्र: here, in this place
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• पिण्डैः: by the funeral rice-balls (piṇḍas)
• पिण्डैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• शिवगयाकृतैः: made at Śiva-gayā
• शिवगयाकृतैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिवगया + कृत (प्रातिपदिक; शिवगया-देश + कृ धातुज क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘कृत’—Instrumental plural; qualifying पिण्डैः

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śiva-Gayā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at a Kāśī ghāṭa-like sacred spot called Śiva-Gayā offers rice-balls (piṇḍa) with kuśa grass and water-libations; subtle forms of troubled departed souls become calm as Śiva’s presence sanctifies the rite.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Śiva-Gayā
• Piṇḍa
• Śrāddha
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s compassion expressed through Kāśī’s Gayā-like shrine extends relief even to the most troubled departed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śiva-Gayā (a śrāddha-focused sacred spot within Kāśī).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Piṇḍa offerings at Śiva-Gayā to propitiate and bring peace to departed souls.