Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा वेदविदो विप्रान्स्वाध्यायनिरताञ्छुचीन् । तेषां यज्ञक्रियाभिश्च यज्ञोपांतैः समंततः

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā vedavido viprānsvādhyāyaniratāñchucīn | teṣāṃ yajñakriyābhiśca yajñopāṃtaiḥ samaṃtataḥ

Translation

Dort sah er Brahmanen, die die Veden kannten—rein und dem Svādhyāya (Selbstrezitation) hingegeben; und ringsum wurden Opferhandlungen und die begleitenden Observanzen des Yajña vollzogen.

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having seen’

• वेद-विदः: knowing the Vedas
• वेद-विदः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (determinative) ‘वेदं वेत्ति’ (knower of the Veda); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; accusative plural (qualifying विप्रान्)

• विप्रान्: Brahmins
• विप्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; accusative plural

• स्वाध्याय-निरतान्: engaged in self-study
• स्वाध्याय-निरतान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वाध्याय (प्रातिपदिक) + निरत (कृदन्त; नि-रम्/रम् धातु)
• Form: सप्तमी/तत्पुरुष-समासार्थ (determinative) ‘स्वाध्याये निरताः’; भूतकृदन्त-प्राय (PPP used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (qualifying विप्रान्)

• शुचीन्: pure
• शुचीन्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; accusative plural (qualifying विप्रान्)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Possession/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; genitive plural

• यज्ञ-क्रियाभिः: by sacrificial rites
• यज्ञ-क्रियाभिः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘यज्ञस्य क्रिया’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; instrumental plural

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• यज्ञ-उपान्तैः: with the accessories/adjuncts of sacrifice
• यज्ञ-उपान्तैः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + उपान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘यज्ञस्य उपान्ताः’ (adjacent parts/appendages of sacrifice); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; instrumental plural

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• समन्ततः: Desha (Adverbial location/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Narrator (within the Purāṇic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Puṣkara kṣetra (ritual precinct)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred settlement: brāhmaṇas seated in rows reciting Veda, with yajña fires nearby; ritual implements and attendants; atmosphere of cleanliness and disciplined calm.

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
• Svādhyāya
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha is recognized by living dharma—Vedic study, purity, and yajña—creating an atmosphere that uplifts pilgrims.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The sacred field where the lotus fell (linked to Hāṭakeśvara) is depicted as a thriving Vedic-karmic center.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yajña and its auxiliaries (yajñopāṅga) are referenced as ongoing practices, though no single vow or donation is specified.