Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

अब्रवीच्च समाप्तस्ते यतः संपूर्णदक्षिणः । प्रायश्चित्तैर्विरहितो यथा नान्यस्य कस्यचित्

Transliteration

abravīcca samāptaste yataḥ saṃpūrṇadakṣiṇaḥ | prāyaścittairvirahito yathā nānyasya kasyacit

Translation

Und er sprach: „Dein Ritus ist vollendet, denn er wurde mit vollständiger Dakṣiṇā (Priesterlohn) abgeschlossen und ist frei von jeder Notwendigkeit der Sühne (prāyaścitta) — anders als der irgendeines anderen.“

Word by Word

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

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

• समाप्तः: completed
• समाप्तः: Karta-visheshana (Predicate adjective/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (enclitic)

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक/यत्-सम्बन्धी अव्यय (since/because)

• संपूर्णदक्षिणः: having complete priestly fees (dakṣiṇā)
• संपूर्णदक्षिणः: Karta-visheshana (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संपूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (संपूर्णा दक्षिणा यस्य)

• प्रायश्चित्तैः: with expiations
• प्रायश्चित्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन

• विरहितः: devoid (of)
• विरहितः: Karta-visheshana (Predicate adjective/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• यथा: as
• यथा: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as/just as)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• अन्यस्य: of another
• अन्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• कस्यचित्: of anyone whatsoever
• कस्यचित्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

Speaker

Pulastya (addressing Brahmā/pitāmaha context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pulastya formally announces the flawless completion of the rite before Brahmā: a calm, authoritative moment, with priests and citizens attentive; ritual implements rest, signaling closure.

Characters & Entities

• Pulastya
• Dakṣiṇā
• Prāyaścitta
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When a sacred act is performed with full propriety—especially honoring officiants through dakṣiṇā—it becomes spiritually complete and does not call for expiation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse emphasizes ritual integrity within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa tīrtha narrative rather than naming a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Completion of yajña with saṃpūrṇa-dakṣiṇā (full fees/gifts) and the ideal of being prāyaścitta-virahita (requiring no expiation).