Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

व्यास उवाच । पुरा देवैः समारब्धो यज्ञो नूनं धरातले । वेदमंत्रैराह्वयितुं सर्वे रुद्रपुरोगमाः

Transliteration

vyāsa uvāca | purā devaiḥ samārabdho yajño nūnaṃ dharātale | vedamaṃtrairāhvayituṃ sarve rudrapurogamāḥ

Translation

Vyāsa sprach: Einst begannen die Götter auf Erden ein Opfer (Yajña). Um (die Gottheit) mit vedischen Mantras herbeizurufen, zogen sie alle aus, Rudra an der Spitze.

Word by Word

• व्यासः: Vyāsa
• व्यासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• समारब्धः: undertaken
• समारब्धः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + √रभ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘begun/undertaken’

• यज्ञः: sacrifice
• यज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• नूनम्: certainly
• नूनम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम् (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक (certainly/indeed)

• धरातले: on the earth’s surface
• धरातले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘धरायाः तलम्’

• वेदमन्त्रैः: with Vedic mantras
• वेदमन्त्रैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘वेदस्य मन्त्राः’

• आह्वयितुम्: to invoke
• आह्वयितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Infinitive purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √ह्वे/ह्वा (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-अन्त (infinitive); ‘to invoke/call’

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• रुद्रपुरोगमाः: having Rudra in the lead
• रुद्रपुरोगमाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुद्र + पुरोगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘रुद्रः पुरोगमः येषाम्’ (विशेषण)

Speaker

Vyāsa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Yajña-bhūmi on earth (generic)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand deva-assembly on earth preparing a yajña: fire altar, priests, offerings; Rudra at the forefront leading the procession; Vedic chant visualized as flowing script-like radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Devas
• Rudra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Yajña and mantra are portrayed as sacred means for divine invocation, guided by higher spiritual authority.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse mentions ‘upon the earth’ (dharātale) without naming a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A yajña using Vedic mantras for āhvāna (invocation) is referenced, though no detailed procedure is given.