Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

यथा तेन कृतं श्राद्धं पितुः प्रेतस्य यत्नतः । ब्राह्मणानां पुरोऽन्येषां यथोक्तानामपि द्विजाः

Transliteration

yathā tena kṛtaṃ śrāddhaṃ pituḥ pretasya yatnataḥ | brāhmaṇānāṃ puro'nyeṣāṃ yathoktānāmapi dvijāḥ

Translation

又说他如何殷勤地为处于饿鬼（preta）之态的父亲举行施祭（śrāddha）——在婆罗门与其他依法受命的二生者（dvija）之前，完全依照所规定的仪轨而行。

Word by Word

• yathā: as/how
• yathā: Prakaraṇa (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), प्रकार/उपमानार्थक: ‘as/how’

• tena: by him
• tena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग (contextual), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• kṛtam: performed/done
• kṛtam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण (śrāddham)

• śrāddham: śrāddha rite
• śrāddham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• pituḥ: of (his) father
• pituḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• pretasya: of the departed (spirit)
• pretasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: preta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; ‘departed spirit’

• yatnataḥ: carefully/with effort
• yatnataḥ: Prakaraṇa (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त/ablatival adverb): ‘with effort, carefully’

• brāhmaṇānām: of the brāhmaṇas
• brāhmaṇānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• puraḥ: in front/first
• puraḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: puras (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), स्थान/पूर्वार्थक: ‘in front/first’

• anyeṣām: of others
• anyeṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• yathoktānām: as prescribed/according to what was said
• yathoktānām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + ukta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास: yathā-ukta ‘as said/according to instruction’; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन; विशेषण (brāhmaṇānām/anyeṣām)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle): ‘also/even’

• dvijāḥ: O twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• dvijāḥ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे अपि प्रयोगः (often vocative sense)

Speaker

Local devotees/hosts (continuing the precedent/story)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nāga-tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijāḥ / dvijottamāḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A rajarṣi performs śrāddha for his preta-father with diligence, seated before a row of brāhmaṇas; ritual vessels, kuśa grass, piṇḍas, and offerings arranged precisely.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Śrāddha
• Preta
• Father (pitṛ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rites for ancestors must be performed carefully and according to injunctions; sincerity plus correct procedure safeguards the intended spiritual benefit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Nāgarakhaṇḍa tīrtha context, presented as a place where śrāddha is undertaken with special seriousness and effect.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performing śrāddha for a preta-ancestor with due effort, before qualified brāhmaṇas, following the prescribed method (yathokta).