Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

एकेनापि च बाह्येन बहूनामपि भूपते । मध्ये समुपविष्टेन तच्छ्राद्धं दोषमाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

ekenāpi ca bāhyena bahūnāmapi bhūpate | madhye samupaviṣṭena tacchrāddhaṃ doṣamāpnuyāt

Translation

O König: Selbst wenn viele anwesend sind, führt schon ein einziger Außenstehender—der für den Ritus ungeeignet ist—der in der Mitte sitzt, dazu, dass dieses śrāddha einen Makel erlangt und befleckt wird.

Word by Word

• एकेन: by one
• एकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; संख्या-विशेषण

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (even)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• बाह्येन: by an outsider
• बाह्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘outsider’ (substantivized adjective)

• बहूनाम्: of many
• बहूनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (of many)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘also/even’

• भूपते: O king
• भूपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• समुपविष्टेन: by one seated (there)
• समुपविष्टेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उप-विश् (धातु) + उपविष्ट (क्त/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; करणवाचक (by one who has sat)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘श्राद्धम्’)

• श्राद्धम्: the Śrāddha
• श्राद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; here as subject of ‘āpnu-yāt’

• दोषम्: fault/defect
• दोषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आप्नुयात्: would incur/should incur
• आप्नुयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: bhūpate (O king) explicitly addressed

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A śrāddha line of seated brāhmaṇas; one ‘outsider’ sits in the middle causing visible unease; the yajamāna and officiant notice the breach of ritual order; the scene conveys boundary and eligibility.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharmic rites depend not only on intention but also on proper eligibility and context; improper association can diminish the rite’s fruit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of a broader tīrtha-māhātmya instruction on correct performance rather than naming a single locality in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ensure only qualified persons are seated within the śrāddha assembly; avoid unfit ‘outsiders’ in the midst.