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
Nếu một người cử hành lễ Śrāddha khi canh thứ tư đã đến, thì lễ ấy chỉ là vô ích; và người bố thí, do sơ suất trái phép tắc, có thể còn sa vào địa ngục.
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.