Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 154
Devanagari script
बहूदकस्य तीरे च प्रेतानुद्दिश्य दीयते । यत्किंचिदक्षयं तेषामुपतिष्ठेन्न चान्यथा
Transliteration
bahūdakasya tīre ca pretānuddiśya dīyate | yatkiṃcidakṣayaṃ teṣāmupatiṣṭhenna cānyathā
Translation
凡在婆呼陀迦（Bahūdaka）河岸所施之物，若以之回向诸饿鬼亡灵（preta），则于彼等成不坏之福；必定到达彼等，绝无他途。
Word by Word
बहूदकस्यof Bahūdaka
बहूदकस्य:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootबहूदक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; समासः—बहु + उदक (कर्मधारय)
तीरेon the bank
तीरे:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootतीर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
चand
च:
Samuccaya (Conjunctive)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय
प्रेतान्departed spirits; pretas
प्रेतान्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन
उद्दिश्यintending; dedicating to
उद्दिश्य:
Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootउद् + दिश् (धातु) → उद्दिश्य (कृदन्त-अव्यय)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having intended/for the sake of’
दीयतेis given
दीयते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (is given)
यत्whatever
यत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक
किंचित्anything; something
किंचित्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)
अक्षयम्imperishable; inexhaustible
अक्षयम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (यत्/किंचित् इति)
तेषाम्of them (the pretas)
तेषाम्:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन
उपतिष्ठेत्would accrue; would be present (to them)
उपतिष्ठेत्:
Kriya (Result/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootउप + स्था (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
नnot
न:
Nishedha (Negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय
चand
च:
Samuccaya (Conjunctive)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय
अन्यथाotherwise
अन्यथा:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअन्यथा (अव्यय)
Formक्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)
Speaker
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)
Tirtha Mahatmya
Tirtha: Bahūdaka
Type: ghat
Visual Art Cues
Scene: At the river’s edge, a performer of śrāddha offers water with sesame (tila) and kuśa, with a small piṇḍa plate nearby; subtle ancestral silhouettes receive the offering; the atmosphere is solemn, compassionate, and sacred.
Characters & Entities
B
BahūdakaP
Preta (departed)FAQs
Charity dedicated to the departed at a powerful tīrtha becomes unfailing and enduring in its benefit.
Bahūdaka tīra.
Giving dāna ‘preta-uddiśya’—dedicated offerings for the departed/ancestors.