Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

सिद्धिबीजं महासत्त्वं क्रतौ क्रतुनियोजितम्

Transliteration

siddhibījaṃ mahāsattvaṃ kratau kratuniyojitam

Translation

هذه بِيجةُ السِّدّهي (التحقّق)، ذاتُ قوّةٍ روحيةٍ عظيمة؛ وتُستعمل في اليَجْنَة (القربان) بأن تُوضَع في موضعها اللائق ضمن الطقس.

Word by Word

• सिद्धिबीजम्: seed of accomplishment
• सिद्धिबीजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि + बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सिद्धेः/सिद्धेः हेतु: सिद्धिबीजम्)

• महासत्त्वम्: great essence/being
• महासत्त्वम्: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः; विधेय/विशेष्यभावे

• क्रतौ: in a sacrifice/rite
• क्रतौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• क्रतुनियोजितम्: appointed/used in the rite
• क्रतुनियोजितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रतु + नियोजित (कृदन्त, क्त); नि+युज् (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘क्रतौ नियोजितम्/क्रतुना नियोजितम्’ (contextual)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fire-altar scene: the bīja of siddhi is visualized as a small radiant glyph being placed into the yajña-fire at the correct moment; priests align ladles and offerings in precise order; a calm sattvic glow pervades.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Accomplishment is tied to right ritual order: potency bears fruit when integrated into dhārmic rite with proper placement and intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this short verse; it is a general ritual instruction within a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It prescribes the siddhi-bīja as to be appointed (niyojita) within the sacrifice (kratu), i.e., used in its correct ritual context.