Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 93

Devanagari script

गुरुर्होता वृतस्तत्र वसिष्ठोऽध्वर्युरेव च । तत्रोद्गाता मरीचिस्तु ब्रह्मत्वे नारदः कृतः

Transliteration

gururhotā vṛtastatra vasiṣṭho'dhvaryureva ca | tatrodgātā marīcistu brahmatve nāradaḥ kṛtaḥ

Translation

هناك اختير الغورو هوتَرًا (Hotṛ)، ووُكِّل فَسِشْتَهُ بمنصب أدهڤريو (Adhvaryu). وجُعِل مريچي أودغاتَرًا (Udgātṛ)، وأُسند إلى نارَدَ منصب كاهن البراهمن (Brahman).

Word by Word

• गुरुः: the guru (Bṛhaspati)
• गुरुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• होता: (as) Hotṛ priest
• होता: Predicate/Viśeṣya (सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होतृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ऋत्विज्-पद (Hotṛ priest)

• वृतः: was chosen/appointed
• वृतः: Predicate (कर्मणि-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः—‘वृत/वरणीकृत’ (chosen/appointed)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• वसिष्ठः: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अध्वर्युः: (as) Adhvaryu priest
• अध्वर्युः: Predicate/Viśeṣya (सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्वर्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ऋत्विज्-पद (Adhvaryu priest)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• उद्गाता: (as) Udgātṛ priest
• उद्गाता: Predicate/Viśeṣya (सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्गातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ऋत्विज्-पद (Udgātṛ priest)

• मरीचिः: Marīci
• मरीचिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरीचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: and/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• ब्रह्मत्वे: in the role of Brahman (priest)
• ब्रह्मत्वे: Adhikaraṇa (State/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; ‘ब्रह्मत्व’ = ब्रह्मा-ऋत्विज्-भाव (office of Brahman priest)

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कृतः: was made/appointed
• कृतः: Predicate (कर्मणि-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः—‘कृत/नियुक्त’ (made/appointed)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four eminent sages are shown in their distinct ritual roles: the Hotṛ recites with raised hand, the Adhvaryu measures and offers, the Udgātṛ sings with vīṇā-like accompaniment, and Nārada as Brahman oversees with calm vigilance.

Characters & Entities

• Guru (as Hotṛ)
• Vasiṣṭha
• Marīci
• Nārada
• Hotṛ
• Adhvaryu
• Udgātṛ
• Brahman (priest)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred rites flourish when qualified sages assume distinct roles with discipline and mutual harmony.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where eminent ṛṣis are depicted organizing Vedic worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It specifies key ṛtvij offices—Hotṛ, Adhvaryu, Udgātṛ, and Brahman—each to be properly appointed.