Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

विप्राः षोडशसंख्याश्च ऋत्विक्कर्मणि योजय । स्वयं परीक्ष्य देवेश यज्ञकर्मप्रसिद्धये

Transliteration

viprāḥ ṣoḍaśasaṃkhyāśca ṛtvikkarmaṇi yojaya | svayaṃ parīkṣya deveśa yajñakarmaprasiddhaye

Translation

„Setze die Brāhmaṇas — sechzehn an der Zahl — zu den Pflichten der ṛtvij (Opferpriester) ein; und prüfe sie selbst, o Herr der Götter, damit das Werk des Yajña erfolgreich vollendet werde.“

Word by Word

• viprāḥ: Brahmins
• viprāḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ṣoḍaśa-saṃkhyāḥ: sixteen in number
• ṣoḍaśa-saṃkhyāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣoḍaśa + saṃkhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषण; तत्पुरुष: ‘षोडश संख्या येषाम्’ (sixteen in number)

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

• ṛtvik-karmaṇi: in the office/duty of priests
• ṛtvik-karmaṇi: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛtvik + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘ऋत्विजां कर्म’ = priestly duty

• yojaya: appoint/engage
• yojaya: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yuj (युज्) (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• svayam: personally
• svayam: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = oneself/personally

• parīkṣya: having examined
• parīkṣya: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pari-√īkṣ (ईक्ष्) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) = having examined; उपसर्ग: परि

• deveśa: O Lord of gods
• deveśa: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva-īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘देवानाम् ईशः’

• yajña-karma-prasiddhaye: for the successful completion of the sacrifice
• yajña-karma-prasiddhaye: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña + karma + prasiddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘यज्ञकर्मणः प्रसिद्धिः’ = success/fulfilment of the sacrificial act

Speaker

Bṛhaspati (by immediate narrative context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bṛhaspati advises Brahmā to appoint sixteen brāhmaṇas as ṛtvijas, urging Brahmā to examine them personally; a ritual register and implements are displayed in the yajña pavilion.

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhaspati
• Brahmā (as Deveśa in this context)
• Ṛtviks
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual merit is protected by integrity: priests should be examined and properly appointed so the yajña bears pure fruit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is embedded in a Nāgarakhaṇḍa tīrtha-māhātmya chapter; the location is not specified in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Appointing sixteen brāhmaṇas as ṛtviks, after personal verification by the presiding authority.