Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

अमीभिर्लक्षणैर्लक्ष्यं मयोक्तं तव शूद्रज । अनेन विधिना सर्वे देवा वह्निपुरोगमाः

Transliteration

amībhirlakṣaṇairlakṣyaṃ mayoktaṃ tava śūdraja | anena vidhinā sarve devā vahnipurogamāḥ

Translation

بهذه العلامات بيّنتُ لك السِّمةَ الصحيحةَ للنسك، يا من وُلدتَ في طبقة الشودرَة. وبهذا المنهج عينه مارس جميعُ الآلهة—يتقدّمهم أغني إلهُ النار—هذه العبادة.

Word by Word

• अमीभिः: by these
• अमीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• लक्षणैः: by the marks/characteristics
• लक्षणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• लक्ष्यम्: to be recognized; identifiable
• लक्ष्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• उक्तम्: said; spoken
• उक्तम्: Kriya (Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थ (passive participle)

• तव: of you; to you
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• शूद्रज: O son of a Śūdra
• शूद्रज: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्रज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• अनेन: by this
• अनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विधिना: by the method; procedure
• विधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वह्निपुरोगमाः: with Agni in front; led by Agni
• वह्निपुरोगमाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वह्नि + पुरोगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (येषां पुरोगमः वह्निः ते) विशेषण (qualifying ‘देवाः’)

Speaker

Gālava

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A ‘Śūdra-born’ interlocutor (śūdrajā) addressed directly

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher-narrator instructs a humble listener, enumerating the ‘lakṣaṇas’ of a vow; in the background, a procession of devas led by Agni prepares for ritual observance.

Characters & Entities

• Gālava
• Agni (Vahni)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Authentic practice is recognized by clear lakṣaṇas and a tested vidhī; even the devas uphold the same disciplined method.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter context is tīrtha-māhātmya, but this closing line focuses on the rite’s authority rather than naming a particular site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Following the stated lakṣaṇas and vidhī of the Śaiva observance, exemplified by the devas led by Agni.