Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

ददौ दीक्षां समाहूय ब्राह्मणान्वेदपारगान् । यत्रकर्मोचिते काले तस्मिन्नेव वने शुभे

Transliteration

dadau dīkṣāṃ samāhūya brāhmaṇānvedapāragān | yatrakarmocite kāle tasminneva vane śubhe

Translation

فمنح الدِّيكشا (dīkṣā) بعد أن استدعى البراهمة المتبحّرين في الفيدات، ولما جاء الوقت اللائق بالعمل الطقسي أُقيمت الشعائر في تلك الغابة المباركة نفسها.

Word by Word

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• दीक्षाम्: initiation (dīkṣā)
• दीक्षाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• समाहूय: having summoned
• समाहूय: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-ह्वा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), ‘having summoned/called together’

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वेदपारगान्: versed in the Vedas
• वेदपारगान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद + पारग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (वेदस्य पारगः = ‘one who has gone to the end of the Veda’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) ब्राह्मणान्

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), सम्बन्धबोधक/देशवाचक (relative adverb: ‘where’)

• कर्मोचिते: appropriate for the ritual
• कर्मोचिते: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्म + उचित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (कर्मणि उचितः = ‘appropriate for the rite’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) काले

• काले: at the time
• काले: Adhikaraṇa (Location/Time locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (Emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निश्चय/अवधारण (particle of emphasis: ‘indeed/just’)

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• शुभे: auspicious
• शुभे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) वने

Speaker

Sūta (narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In a serene sacred forest clearing, the patron summons Veda-knowing brāhmaṇas; a dīkṣā moment is prepared with kuśa-grass, water vessels, and a small consecrated fire, suggesting the rite’s auspicious timing.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Viśvāmitra
• Brāhmaṇas
• Veda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred results depend on sanctified preparation: dīkṣā, qualified priests, and correct timing are integral to dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse refers to an auspicious forest-ritual setting but does not specify a named tīrtha in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Receiving dīkṣā (consecration), engaging Veda-masters as priests, and performing rites at the proper ritual time.