Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

सिन्दूरतिलके जाते ब्रह्माग्रे द्विजवाक्यतः । पितॄणां जायते तुष्टिर्वंशो नोऽद्य प्रतिष्ठि तः

Transliteration

sindūratilake jāte brahmāgre dvijavākyataḥ | pitṝṇāṃ jāyate tuṣṭirvaṃśo no'dya pratiṣṭhi taḥ

Translation

Wenn nach dem Wort der Zweimalgeborenen (Brahmanen) vor Brahmā der Sindūra-Tilaka aufgetragen wird, werden die Pitṛs, die Ahnen, zufrieden, und unser Geschlecht ist heute fest begründet.

Word by Word

• सिन्दूरतिलके: when the vermilion tilaka
• सिन्दूरतिलके: Adhikarana (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिन्दूर (प्रातिपदिक) + तिलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘सिन्दूरस्य तिलकः’), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• जाते: having occurred / when arisen
• जाते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) + त (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘जात’; अत्र सप्तमी-एकवचन-सम्बद्धे सति, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-प्रयोगे; लोके ‘सति’ अर्थे (locative absolute sense: “when it has occurred”)

• ब्रह्माग्रे: in front of Brahmā / before Brahman
• ब्रह्माग्रे: Adhikarana (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘ब्रह्मणः अग्रे’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• द्विजवाक्यतः: because of the Brahmin’s words
• द्विजवाक्यतः: Hetu (Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तसिल्)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: “from/because of”); पूर्वपद-समास: ‘द्विजस्य वाक्यं’ (तत्पुरुष) + तः

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• जायते: arises/is produced
• जायते: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तुष्टिः: satisfaction
• तुष्टिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• वंशः: lineage
• वंशः: Karta (Subject, next clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नः: our/of us
• नः: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th) बहुवचन/एकवचन-प्रयोग (enclitic ‘नः’: of us/our)

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Kala (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (today/now)

• प्रतिष्ठितः: established
• प्रतिष्ठितः: Visheshana (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + स्था (धातु) + त (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त ‘प्रतिष्ठित’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘वंशः’ इति विशेषण (established)

• ततः: therefore
• ततः: Sambandha (Consequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (therefore/then)

Speaker

Narrative voice (within the Nāgara-viśuddhi discussion; speaker not explicit in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Before a Brahmā icon or altar, a devotee receives or applies a bright sindūra tilaka while brāhmaṇas recite blessings; behind them, subtle imagery of satisfied pitṛs (ancestral figures) and a flourishing family tree motif indicating lineage stability.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Dvija (brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ancestral satisfaction and the stability of one’s lineage are linked to dharmic observance performed under proper brāhmaṇic guidance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra-māhātmya within the Nāgara-khaṇḍa, though this verse emphasizes ritual legitimacy rather than naming a tīrtha directly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Applying a sindūra tilaka as part of a sanctioned purification/rite in the presence of Brahmā and as directed by qualified brāhmaṇas, connected with Pitṛ satisfaction.