Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

अत्रागत्य महाभागः क्षाद्धं कुर्यात्सुभक्तितः । पितॄणामक्षयं तच्च सर्वेषां पिंडपातनम्

Transliteration

atrāgatya mahābhāgaḥ kṣāddhaṃ kuryātsubhaktitaḥ | pitṝṇāmakṣayaṃ tacca sarveṣāṃ piṃḍapātanam

Translation

噫，有福者！来至此处，当以至诚奉爱行施罗达（śrāddha）。其功德于祖灵（Pitṛs）为无尽之利，亦等同为一切先祖奉献团食（piṇḍa）。

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: Kriya (Conjunctive action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having come’

• महाभागः: a fortunate/noble person
• महाभागः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (Karmadharaya; महान् भागः यस्य/महाभागः); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• सुभक्तितः: with good devotion
• सुभक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/Manner/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb) = ‘from/with good devotion’

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अक्षयम्: inexhaustible
• अक्षयम्: Karma (Object-complement/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc, 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc/Neut), षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पिण्डपातनम्: offering/dropping of piṇḍas (funeral rice-balls)
• पिण्डपातनम्: Kriya (Predicative noun/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + पातन (प्रातिपदिक; पत्/पातय् धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha; पिण्डस्य पातनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc, 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa Sūta (deduced from section context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Akṣayavaṭa-tulya-kṣetra (śrāddha-sthāna)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devoted pilgrim performs śrāddha: darbha grass, water libations, piṇḍas on leaf-plates; subtle presence of pitṛs receiving; the sacred spot sanctifies the act into ‘for all ancestors’.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Śrāddha
• Piṇḍa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion-filled ancestral rites performed at a powerful tīrtha extend lasting welfare to one’s lineage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter’s featured site—Siddhakūpa/Siddhakuṇḍa associated with Siddheśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform śrāddha and piṇḍa-offering here with sincere devotion for akṣaya pitṛ-benefit.