Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

कन्यासंस्थे रवौ तत्र यः श्राद्धं कुरुते नरः । अष्टवंशोद्भवैर्विप्रैः स पितॄंस्तारयेन्निजान्

Transliteration

kanyāsaṃsthe ravau tatra yaḥ śrāddhaṃ kurute naraḥ | aṣṭavaṃśodbhavairvipraiḥ sa pitṝṃstārayennijān

Translation

当太阳行至处女宫（Kanyā）之时，凡人在彼处与出自八系传承的婆罗门同修 śrāddha 者，便能渡济自身祖先，使之趋向安乐与更高境界。

Word by Word

• kanyāsaṃsthe: Situated in Virgo
• kanyāsaṃsthe: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kanyāsaṃstha (कन्यासंस्थ)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• ravau: When the Sun (is)
• ravau: Adhikarana (Time/Condition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ravi (रवि)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• tatra: There
• tatra: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (तत्र)
• Form: Adverb of place

• yaḥ: Who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• śrāddham: Shraddha rite
• śrāddham: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (श्राद्ध)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• kurute: Performs
• kurute: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ)
• Form: Lat Lakara (Present), Prathama Purusha (3rd), Singular, Atmanepada

• naraḥ: Man
• naraḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (नर)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• aṣṭavaṃśodbhavaiḥ: Born of the eight lineages
• aṣṭavaṃśodbhavaiḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭavaṃśodbhava (अष्टवंशोद्भव)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• vipraiḥ: By Brahmins
• vipraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (विप्र)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• saḥ: He
• saḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• pitṝn: Ancestors
• pitṝn: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (पितृ)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• tārayet: Should liberate
• tārayet: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tṛ (तॄ)
• Form: Vidhilin Lakara (Potential), Prathama Purusha (3rd), Singular, Causative

• nijān: Own
• nijān: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nija (निज)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (within Śakra–Viṣṇu dialogue; likely Viṣṇu speaking)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (Kūpikā-madhya)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims perform śrāddha at the tīrtha during the Sun’s Kanyā transit; eight-lineage brāhmaṇas sit in rows receiving piṇḍa and offerings; ancestors symbolically uplifted.

Characters & Entities

• Ravi (Sun)
• Kanyā (Virgo)
• Vipra (brāhmaṇa)
• Pitṛs (ancestors)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha done with proper timing and proper officiants is portrayed as a powerful act of gratitude that uplifts one’s lineage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra tīrtha-context described in this Adhyāya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performing śrāddha when the Sun is in Kanyā (Virgo), and offering it through qualified brāhmaṇas of ‘eight lineages’ (a traditional purity/authority marker).