Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

वर्त्तमाने महायज्ञे तीर्थे कनखले तथा । ऋत्विजश्च कृतास्तेन भृग्वाद्याश्च तपोधनाः

Transliteration

varttamāne mahāyajñe tīrthe kanakhale tathā | ṛtvijaśca kṛtāstena bhṛgvādyāśca tapodhanāḥ

Translation

Als das große Opfer am heiligen Tīrtha, der Furt von Kanakhala, im Gange war, bestellte er als Opferpriester (ṛtvij) die an Askese reichen Weisen, beginnend mit Bhṛgu.

Word by Word

• वर्तमाने: while (it was) going on
• वर्तमाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √वृत् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त; वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle/शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘वर्तमाने’ = being in progress

• महा-यज्ञे: in the great sacrifice
• महा-यज्ञे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘महान् यज्ञः’

• तीर्थे: at the sacred ford/place
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• कनखले: at Kanakhala
• कनखले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनखल (प्रातिपदिक; स्थाननाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक (adverb: likewise/also)

• ऋत्विजः: priests (ṛtviks)
• ऋत्विजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

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

• कृताः: were appointed/made
• कृताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त/क्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्रियार्थे (were appointed/made)

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• भृगु-आद्याः: (sages) beginning with Bhṛgu
• भृगु-आद्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगु (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘भृगुः आदिः येषाम्’ (beginning with Bhṛgu)

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

• तपो-धनाः: ascetics rich in austerity
• तपो-धनाः: Visheshya (Appositional subject/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘तपः धनं येषाम्’ (whose wealth is austerity)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual attribution within Māheśvara Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kanakhala

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvija audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The yajña in full motion at Kanakhala: blazing altar, priests led by Bhṛgu chanting, Dakṣa overseeing appointments; sages with matted hair and sacred threads, ladles and offerings in hand.

Characters & Entities

• Kanakhala
• Bhṛgu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even grand rites depend on sanctified place and qualified priests—tīrtha and tapas together uphold ritual purity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kanakhala tīrtha, a renowned sacred ford associated with major Purāṇic events.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Appointment of ṛtvij priests—choosing competent, austere sages (tapodhana) to conduct the yajña.