Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

तं प्रणम्य ततः सर्वे गता यत्रर्त्विजः स्थिताः । उपविष्टाः परिश्रान्ता दिवा यज्ञियकर्मणा

Transliteration

taṃ praṇamya tataḥ sarve gatā yatrartvijaḥ sthitāḥ | upaviṣṭāḥ pariśrāntā divā yajñiyakarmaṇā

Translation

তাঁকে প্রণাম করে তারা সকলেই সেখানে গেলেন, যেখানে ঋত্বিজেরা অবস্থান করছিলেন; ঋত্বিজেরা দিনের যজ্ঞকর্মে ক্লান্ত হয়ে বসে ছিলেন।

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object of praṇamya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रणम्य: having bowed to
• प्रणम्य: Kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Temporal/sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• सर्वे: all (of them)
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• गताः: went
• गताः: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोगे (they went)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Relative location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धक-अव्यय (relative locative adverb)

• ऋत्विजः: priests (ṛtviks)
• ऋत्विजः: Karta (Subject of sthitāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• स्थिताः: were standing / were present
• स्थिताः: Kriya (Predicate of relative clause)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विधेय

• उपविष्टाः: seated
• उपविष्टाः: Viśeṣaṇa (State of sarve)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोगे

• परिश्रान्ताः: exhausted
• परिश्रान्ताः: Viśeṣaṇa (State of sarve)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + श्रम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• दिवा: during the day
• दिवा: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: by day/during the day)

• यज्ञियकर्मणा: by/through the sacrificial work
• यज्ञियकर्मणा: Karaṇa/Hetu (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञिय (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (यज्ञियं कर्म = sacrificial rite)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-śreṣṭhas (assembled brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages, having bowed, approach a group of seated ṛtvijas inside the pavilion; the priests appear weary yet dignified, with ritual implements nearby—ladles, kusa, vessels—suggesting a long day of yajña work.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛtvij (priests)
• Yajña
• Bowing (praṇāma)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through disciplined ritual service; honoring sacred persons and priests is integral to tīrtha culture.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The yajña setting within the tīrtha described in Adhyāya 182; the verse focuses on the priests’ location rather than a named site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praṇāma (reverential bowing) and participation/attendance in the yajña context with ṛtvij priests.