Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

महावीरपुरोडाशचयनप्रमुखांस्तथा । विवादांश्चक्रिरे चान्ये स्वंस्वं पक्षं समाश्रिताः

Transliteration

mahāvīrapuroḍāśacayanapramukhāṃstathā | vivādāṃścakrire cānye svaṃsvaṃ pakṣaṃ samāśritāḥ

Translation

وأما آخرون، فكلٌّ منهم متشبّثٌ بجهته، فقد أثاروا خصوماتٍ أخرى—في قرابين «مهافيرا»، و«بوروداشا»، وترتيب المذبح (چَيَنَ)، وسائر المسائل الرئيسة من هذا القبيل.

Word by Word

• महावीरपुरोडाशचयनप्रमुखान्: the principal (matters) such as the Mahāvīra-offering, puroḍāśa, and the piling/arrangement
• महावीरपुरोडाशचयनप्रमुखान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महावीर + पुरोडाश + चयन + प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (प्रमुखाः = मुख्याः; महावीर-पुरोडाश-चयन-प्रमुखाः इति)

• तथा: thus; also
• तथा: Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थे (in that manner/also)

• विवादान्: disputes
• विवादान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• चक्रिरे: they made; they carried out
• चक्रिरे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद-रूपम् (चक्रिरे = they did/made)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• स्वम्: one's own
• स्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (own)

• स्वम्: (each) his own
• स्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोगः (each his own)

• पक्षम्: side; faction; position
• पक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समाश्रिताः: having taken refuge in; having adopted
• समाश्रिताः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + श्रि (धातु) → समाश्रित (कृदन्त/भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोगः (having resorted to)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (context); Rūpatīrtha (preceding origin)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇas/śaunakādayaḥ (generic ‘dvijottamāḥ’ audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A night assembly of brāhmaṇas in a yajña-śālā, gesturing in debate over mahāvīra-offering, puroḍāśa, and altar arrangement; ritual implements and fire-altars visible.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāvīra
• Puroḍāśa
• Cayana
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Attachment to one’s own viewpoint can multiply disputes even in sacred work; dharma calls for unity of purpose in worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting remains the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya (Rūpatīrtha-associated narrative).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It references śrauta components—Mahāvīra, Puroḍāśa, and cayana—indicating technical ritual points that became subjects of dispute.