Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

तं प्रणम्य ततः सर्वे गता यत्रर्त्विजः स्थिताः । उपविष्टाः परिश्रान्ता दिवा यज्ञियकर्मणा

Transliteration

taṃ praṇamya tataḥ sarve gatā yatrartvijaḥ sthitāḥ | upaviṣṭāḥ pariśrāntā divā yajñiyakarmaṇā

Translation

Nachdem sie sich vor ihm verneigt hatten, gingen sie alle dorthin, wo die amtierenden Opferpriester (ṛtvij) standen. Die Priester saßen, ermattet von den tagsüber verrichteten Opferhandlungen des Yajña.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object of praṇamya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रणम्य: having bowed to
• प्रणम्य: Kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Temporal/sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• सर्वे: all (of them)
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• गताः: went
• गताः: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोगे (they went)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Relative location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धक-अव्यय (relative locative adverb)

• ऋत्विजः: priests (ṛtviks)
• ऋत्विजः: Karta (Subject of sthitāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• स्थिताः: were standing / were present
• स्थिताः: Kriya (Predicate of relative clause)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विधेय

• उपविष्टाः: seated
• उपविष्टाः: Viśeṣaṇa (State of sarve)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोगे

• परिश्रान्ताः: exhausted
• परिश्रान्ताः: Viśeṣaṇa (State of sarve)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + श्रम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• दिवा: during the day
• दिवा: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: by day/during the day)

• यज्ञियकर्मणा: by/through the sacrificial work
• यज्ञियकर्मणा: Karaṇa/Hetu (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञिय (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (यज्ञियं कर्म = sacrificial rite)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-śreṣṭhas (assembled brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages, having bowed, approach a group of seated ṛtvijas inside the pavilion; the priests appear weary yet dignified, with ritual implements nearby—ladles, kusa, vessels—suggesting a long day of yajña work.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛtvij (priests)
• Yajña
• Bowing (praṇāma)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through disciplined ritual service; honoring sacred persons and priests is integral to tīrtha culture.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The yajña setting within the tīrtha described in Adhyāya 182; the verse focuses on the priests’ location rather than a named site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praṇāma (reverential bowing) and participation/attendance in the yajña context with ṛtvij priests.