Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । चतुर्थे दिवसे प्राप्ते ततो यज्ञसमुद्भवे । ऋत्विग्भिर्याज्ञिकं कर्म प्रारब्धं तदनंतरम्

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | caturthe divase prāpte tato yajñasamudbhave | ṛtvigbhiryājñikaṃ karma prārabdhaṃ tadanaṃtaram

Translation

Sūta sprach: Als der vierte Tag gekommen war, begannen die Priester (ṛtvik) in jenem aufgenommenen Opfer sogleich danach mit den rituellen Handlungen.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Speaker/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Masculine nominative singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect); प्रथम-पुरुषः; एकवचनम् (3rd person singular)

• चतुर्थे: on the fourth
• चतुर्थे: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (क्रमवाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (Locative singular) — दिवसे इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

• दिवसे: day
• दिवसे: Adhikarana (Time-location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (Masculine locative singular)

• प्राप्ते: when (it) had arrived
• प्राप्ते: Sati-saptami (Temporal circumstance)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः भूतकर्मणि; पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (Locative singular) — सति-सप्तमी (when it had arrived)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyavisheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद् + तस्)
• Form: अव्ययम् (then/from there)

• यज्ञसमुद्भवे: at the arising/occasion of the sacrifice
• यज्ञसमुद्भवे: Adhikarana (Location/circumstance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ + समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (Masculine locative singular) — सति-सप्तमी/अधिकरणम् (in/at the arising of the sacrifice)

• ऋत्विग्भिः: by the officiating priests
• ऋत्विग्भिः: Kartr/Instrument (Agent: by the priests)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-बहुवचनम् (Masculine instrumental plural)

• याज्ञिकम्: ritual; sacrificial
• याज्ञिकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याज्ञिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Neuter accusative singular) — कर्म इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

• कर्म: act; rite
• कर्म: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Neuter accusative singular)

• प्रारब्धम्: was begun
• प्रारब्धम्: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicative adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + रभ् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → प्रारब्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः; नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Neuter nominative singular) — कर्म इति पदस्य विधेयविशेषणम्

• तत्: that
• तत्: Anuvritti/Pratishedha (Anaphoric)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Neuter nominative singular) — कर्म इति पदस्य अनुवृत्तिः (that [rite])

• अनन्तरम्: immediately after
• अनन्तरम्: Kriyavisheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययप्रयोगः (immediately thereafter)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Keśvara-kṣetra (Śrīhāṭa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A bustling sacrificial arena on the fourth day: ṛtviks in white garments arrange kuśa, ladles, and fire-altars; the yajamāna sits attentive as the rite begins with renewed intensity.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Ṛtvij (priests)
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is enacted through properly commenced ritual, guided by qualified priests and orderly procedure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader narrative continues within the Śrīhāṭa–Keśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya setting of the Nāgara Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The commencement of yājñika-karman by ṛtvij on the appointed day (the fourth day).