Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

भरद्वाजं वसिष्ठं तु प्रत्यध्वर्युत्वमादिशन् । नारदं चैव वाल्मीकिं नोदना याकरोत्तदा

Transliteration

bharadvājaṃ vasiṣṭhaṃ tu pratyadhvaryutvamādiśan | nāradaṃ caiva vālmīkiṃ nodanā yākarottadā

Translation

Bharadvāja und Vasiṣṭha bestimmten sie zum Amt des Pratyadhvaryu; und damals wiesen sie Nārada und Vālmīki die Rolle der Nodanā zu, der rituellen Anrufer und Vorsänger.

Word by Word

• भरद्वाजम्: Bharadvāja (sage)
• भरद्वाजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरद्वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वसिष्ठम्: Vasiṣṭha (sage)
• वसिष्ठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• प्रत्यध्वर्युत्वम्: the office of Pratyadhvaryu
• प्रत्यध्वर्युत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति + अध्वर्यु + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘प्रति’ उपसर्गपूर्वक ‘अध्वर्यु-त्व’—प्रत्यध्वर्यु-भावः/पदम् (assistant Adhvaryu)

• आदिशन्: they appointed/ordered
• आदिशन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दिश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘आदिश्’ (to appoint/command)

• नारदम्: Nārada
• नारदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphasis)

• वाल्मीकिम्: Vālmīki
• वाल्मीकिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाल्मीकि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नोदनाः: impulses/instigations
• नोदनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नोदना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘प्रेरणा/आह्वान’ अर्थे (impulses/instigations)

• या: which
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यत् (relative pronoun: which)

• अकरोत्: (he/she) did/made
• अकरोत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya (as narrative-kshetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bharadvāja and Vasiṣṭha are invested as Pratyadhvaryus; Nārada and Vālmīki stand as nodanā—prompting, chanting, and guiding the flow of ritual speech and action.

Characters & Entities

• Bharadvāja
• Vasiṣṭha
• Nārada
• Vālmīki
• Dharmāraṇya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred work flourishes through coordinated service—each role supports the larger yajña of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya, the arena where even legendary sages serve in specialized yajña roles.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Assignment of assistant officiants (Pratyadhvaryu) and supporting ritual roles (Nodanā) for a properly conducted sacrifice.