Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

भर्तृयज्ञविधानेन शुद्धैः स्थानोद्भवैर्द्विजैः । भर्तृयज्ञविधिं त्यक्त्वा योऽन्येन विधिना नरः

Transliteration

bhartṛyajñavidhānena śuddhaiḥ sthānodbhavairdvijaiḥ | bhartṛyajñavidhiṃ tyaktvā yo'nyena vidhinā naraḥ

Translation

«وفقًا لسنّة bhartṛ-yajña الصحيحة، ينبغي أن يُقام (الشرادها) على يد براهمةٍ من الدِّوِجَة (dvija) طاهرين، من أهل ذلك الموضع أنفسهم. أمّا الرجل الذي يترك طريقة bhartṛ-yajña ويؤدّيه على نهجٍ آخر…»

Word by Word

• भर्तृ-यज्ञ-विधानेन: by the procedure of the Bhartṛ-yajña
• भर्तृ-यज्ञ-विधानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); भर्तृयज्ञस्य विधानम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• शुद्धैः: pure
• शुद्धैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifier) द्विजैः

• स्थान-उद्भवैः: born from that place (local)
• स्थान-उद्भवैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक) + udbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); स्थानात् उद्भवः (पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष)

• द्विजैः: by Brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• भर्तृ-यज्ञ-विधिम्: the rule of the Bhartṛ-yajña
• भर्तृ-यज्ञ-विधिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); भर्तृयज्ञस्य विधिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धवाचक

• अन्येन: by another
• अन्येन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier) विधिना

• विधिना: by a method/rite
• विधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Viśvāmitra (continuing instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual pavilion near the tīrtha: local brāhmaṇas seated in a row, darbha mats, vessels for arghya; Viśvāmitra emphasizes correct procedure while a pilgrim listens attentively.

Characters & Entities

• Dvija (brāhmaṇa)
• Sthānodbhava (local priests)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is not only intention but also correct method: śrāddha must follow the prescribed vidhi and proper officiants.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Gayākūpī-associated tīrtha setting, emphasizing that rites there should be conducted with place-native qualified brāhmaṇas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform the śrāddha according to bhartṛyajña-vidhi and employ pure local (sthānodbhava) dvijas.