Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

यूपाश्च यत्प्रमाणेन कर्तव्याः सचषालकाः । पचनार्थं तथा गर्ताः कर्तव्या यत्प्रमाणतः

Transliteration

yūpāśca yatpramāṇena kartavyāḥ sacaṣālakāḥ | pacanārthaṃ tathā gartāḥ kartavyā yatpramāṇataḥ

Translation

„Die Opferpfähle (Yūpas) sollen nach den vorgeschriebenen Maßen gefertigt werden, samt ihren Beschlägen. Ebenso sollen Gruben zum Kochen nach dem rechten Maßstab angelegt werden.“

Word by Word

• yūpāḥ: sacrificial posts
• yūpāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• yatpramāṇena: according to whatever measure
• yatpramāṇena: Karana (Standard/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat + pramāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (yasya pramāṇam = of whatever measure; i.e., according to the prescribed measure)

• kartavyāḥ: to be made
• kartavyāḥ: Karya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + tavya (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृत्य (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate adjective to yūpāḥ)

• sa-caṣālakāḥ: together with caṣālakas (caps/attachments)
• sa-caṣālakāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/सह) + caṣālaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः/बहुव्रीह्यर्थ-विशेषणम् (with caṣālakas/with caps/fixtures)

• pacana-artham: for cooking
• pacana-artham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pacana + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावः (purpose expression), द्वितीया-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययवत् (for the purpose of cooking)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (likewise)

• gartāḥ: pits; trenches
• gartāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), बहुवचन

• kartavyāḥ: to be made
• kartavyāḥ: Karya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + tavya (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृत्य (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate adjective to gartāḥ)

• yatpramāṇataḥ: according to the measure
• yatpramāṇataḥ: Kriya-viseshana (Standard/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yat + pramāṇa + tas (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb: according to measure)

Speaker

Brahmā (continued instruction)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viśvakarman

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Tall sacrificial posts rise from the ground, fitted with crosspieces; nearby, neatly dug pits for cooking offerings are measured with cords and stakes.

Characters & Entities

• Yūpa
• Caṣāla
• Garta
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred acts are to be performed as śāstra-guided disciplines—precision is itself a form of devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha’s sanctity is implied through the yajña being established there; the specific place-name is not given in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Construction of yūpas with fittings (caṣālas) and cooking pits (gartas), all to standard measurements.