Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

अजपादाय चाज्योत्था अहिर्बुध्न्याय हेमजा । पिनाकिने प्रदातव्या धेनुर्लवणसम्भवा

Transliteration

ajapādāya cājyotthā ahirbudhnyāya hemajā | pinākine pradātavyā dhenurlavaṇasambhavā

Translation

অজপাদকে ঘৃত-উৎপন্ন (ঘৃত-যুক্ত) ধেনু দান করা উচিত; অহির্বুধ্ন্যকে স্বর্ণ-সম্বদ্ধ ধেনু; আর পিনাকী (পিনাকধারী শিব)-কে লবণ-সম্বদ্ধ ধেনু অর্পণ করা উচিত।

Word by Word

• अजपादाय: to Ajapāda (a Rudra)
• अजपादाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजपाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• आज्य-उत्था: arising from ghee
• आज्य-उत्था: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आज्य (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘आज्यात् उत्था’

• अहिर्बुध्न्याय: to Ahirbudhnya (a Rudra)
• अहिर्बुध्न्याय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहिर्बुध्न्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (नाम) तत्पुरुष-रूप ‘अहिः + बुध्न्य’

• हेमजा: born of gold
• हेमजा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेम (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘हेमात् जा’

• पिनाकिने: to Pinākin (Śiva)
• पिनाकिने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिनाकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रदातव्या: should be given
• प्रदातव्या: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + दा (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धेनुः: a cow
• धेनुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लवण-सम्भवा: arising from salt
• लवण-सम्भवा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लवण (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘लवणात् सम्भवा’

Speaker

Sūta (deduced from adjoining narration style within Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: viprāḥ / vipreन्द्राः

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three ritual moments: a cow offered with ghee to Ajapāda, another with gold to Ahirbudhnya, and another with salt to Pinākin; Śiva’s presence suggested by liṅga and bow-bearing iconography motifs.

Characters & Entities

• Ajapāda
• Ahirbudhnya
• Pinākin (Śiva)
• Rudra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion at a sacred Śaiva site is strengthened through prescribed dāna, offered with intent to honor specific forms of Rudra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra, especially the vicinity of the Ekādaśa Rudras, within the Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Go-dāna (donation of cows) described by symbolic ‘origins’—ghee-born, gold-born, and salt-born—dedicated to Rudra forms.