Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

विप्रा उदङ्मुखाः कार्याः स्वयं वै दक्षिणामुखः । दर्भेषु निक्षिपेदन्नमित्युच्चार्य द्विजाग्रतः

Transliteration

viprā udaṅmukhāḥ kāryāḥ svayaṃ vai dakṣiṇāmukhaḥ | darbheṣu nikṣipedannamityuccārya dvijāgrataḥ

Translation

Die Brāhmaṇas sollen nach Norden gewandt sitzen, der Vollziehende selbst aber nach Süden. Vor den Zweimalgeborenen lege er die Speise auf Darbha-Gras und spreche: „Ich lege die Speise nieder.“

Word by Word

• विप्राः: Brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• उदङ्मुखाः: facing north
• उदङ्मुखाः: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदक्/उदङ् (उत्तर-दिक्) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); बहुव्रीहिः ‘येषां मुखं उदङ् (उत्तर) तेषे’

• कार्याः: should be arranged/made
• कार्याः: Kriya (Predicative obligation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कार्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्तव्यता-बोधक (gerundive: ‘to be made/arranged’)

• स्वयम्: oneself
• स्वयम्: Karta (Agent-emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), आत्मनः-प्रयोग (oneself)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/सम्बोधनार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• दक्षिणामुखः: facing south
• दक्षिणामुखः: Karta (Subject/agent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिणा (दक्षिण-दिक्) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहिः ‘यस्य मुखं दक्षिणा तस्य’

• दर्भेषु: on/among darbha grass
• दर्भेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• निक्षिपेत्: should place
• निक्षिपेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्ति-बोधक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उच्चार्य: having uttered/recited
• उच्चार्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद् + चर् (धातु) → उच्चार्य (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having uttered)

• द्विजाग्रतः: in front of the Brāhmaṇas
• द्विजाग्रतः: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्विज + अग्रतस् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), स्थान-बोधक (in front of)

Speaker

Vyāsa (in dialogue with Yudhiṣṭhira) [deduced]

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (general)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formal śrāddha tableau: Brāhmaṇas seated on darbha mats facing the river’s northern line; the yajamāna sits opposite facing south; a strip of darbha holds the placed food; the moment of utterance is captured with raised right hand and focused gaze.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (Brāhmaṇas)
• Darbha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual efficacy in śrāddha depends on disciplined observance of prescribed forms and sacred orientation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā/Narmadā tīrtha milieu, where these śrāddha rites are taught.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Directional seating (vipras north-facing, performer south-facing) and placing food on darbha with a formal utterance.