Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

मातामहांस्तथोद्दिश्य तथान्यानपि गोत्रजान् । गुरुश्वशुरबंधूनां नामान्युच्चार्य पिंडदः

Transliteration

mātāmahāṃstathoddiśya tathānyānapi gotrajān | guruśvaśurabaṃdhūnāṃ nāmānyuccārya piṃḍadaḥ

Translation

亦当指向母系外祖父等，并及于本族其他亲属；施团食者应诵出师长、岳父及诸亲眷之名，然后奉献诸团食（piṇḍa）。

Word by Word

• मातामहान्: maternal grandfathers/ancestors
• मातामहान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (also/likewise)

• उद्दिश्य: having designated/aimed at (in intention)
• उद्दिश्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावेन क्रियाविशेषणम्

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय

• अन्यान्: others
• अन्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (also/even)

• गोत्रजान्: kinsmen born in the same lineage
• गोत्रजान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोत्रज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गोत्रात् जाताः)

• गुरुश्वशुरबंधूनाम्: of gurus, fathers-in-law, and relatives
• गुरुश्वशुरबंधूनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु + श्वशुर + बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (गुरवः च श्वशुराः च बन्धवः च)

• नामानि: names
• नामानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• उच्चार्य: having uttered
• उच्चार्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-चर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावेन क्रियाविशेषणम्; अर्थे ‘उच्चारणं कृत्वा’

• पिंडदः: the giver of piṇḍas (offerer)
• पिंडदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्डद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (पिण्डं ददाति इति)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Candroda (śrāddha tīrtha cluster)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The pilgrim, hands joined, softly recites names while offering piṇḍas; behind, faint silhouettes suggest multiple generations—maternal and paternal lines—listening; the priest guides the sequence with darbha in hand.

Characters & Entities

• mātāmaha (maternal ancestors)
• gotra
• guru
• śvaśura

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ancestral duty is expansive: remembrance and offerings extend beyond paternal forebears to maternal lines and honored relations.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The śrāddha procedure is being taught in the Candroda-tīrtha setting of Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dedicate offerings to maternal ancestors and other gotra-kin, uttering the names of gurus, fathers-in-law, and relatives while giving piṇḍas.