Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 100

Devanagari script

पितृप्रीतिप्रदं पीठं वृषभध्वजसंज्ञकम् । पितृतर्पणकृत्तत्र पितॄंस्तारयति क्षणात्

Transliteration

pitṛprītipradaṃ pīṭhaṃ vṛṣabhadhvajasaṃjñakam | pitṛtarpaṇakṛttatra pitṝṃstārayati kṣaṇāt

Translation

Thánh tọa này mang danh Vṛṣabhadhvaja, ban niềm hoan hỷ cho các Pitṛ (tổ tiên). Ai làm lễ tarpaṇa dâng Pitṛ tại đó, liền tức khắc độ thoát các bậc tiền nhân.

Word by Word

• पितृप्रीतिप्रदम्: bestowing satisfaction to the ancestors
• पितृप्रीतिप्रदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृ-प्रीति-प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); ‘पितॄणां प्रीतिं प्रददाति’ इति

• पीठम्: sacred seat; pedestal
• पीठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• वृषभध्वजसंज्ञकम्: named ‘Vṛṣabhadhvaja’ (bull-bannered)
• वृषभध्वजसंज्ञकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृषभ-ध्वज-संज्ञक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); ‘वृषभध्वज’ इति संज्ञा यस्य

• पितृतर्पणकृत्: one who performs ancestor-offerings (tarpana)
• पितृतर्पणकृत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृ-तर्पण-कृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृ-धातोः क्विप्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (doer), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• पितॄन्: the ancestors
• पितॄन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तारयति: causes to cross; delivers
• तारयति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्; णिच् (causative) प्रयोगः

• क्षणात्: in an instant; immediately
• क्षणात्: Hetu/Avadhi (Cause/limit/हेतु/अवधि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Śiva (deduced from surrounding Kāśīkhaṇḍa discourse on Śaiva pīṭhas)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vṛṣabhadhvaja-pīṭha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At a stone pīṭha labeled Vṛṣabhadhvaja near the Gaṅgā, a pilgrim performs tarpaṇa: kneeling at the water’s edge, pouring water with black sesame through cupped hands, with priests guiding; subtle presence of pitṛs receiving offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛṣabhadhvaja
• Pitṛs
• Tarpaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Service to one’s ancestors through dharmic rites performed at a consecrated Śaiva site is portrayed as swift spiritual uplift for the Pitṛs.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The pīṭha called Vṛṣabhadhvaja in Kāśī, associated with Śiva (bull-bannered).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performing pitṛ-tarpaṇa (water-offerings/oblations to ancestors) at that pīṭha.