Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

सबालवृद्धपत्नीकाः साग्निहोत्रा मया सह । तस्माद्गच्छत भद्रं वस्तत्र स्थानं भविष्यति

Transliteration

sabālavṛddhapatnīkāḥ sāgnihotrā mayā saha | tasmādgacchata bhadraṃ vastatra sthānaṃ bhaviṣyati

Translation

Kommt mit mir, zusammen mit euren Kindern, Ältesten und Ehefrauen—und mit euren Agnihotra-Feuern. Darum zieht weiter; Heil sei euch. Dort wird euch eine angemessene Wohnstatt gewährt werden.

Word by Word

• स-बाल-वृद्ध-पत्नीकाः: (you) who are with children, elders, and wives
• स-बाल-वृद्ध-पत्नीकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ ‘सह’) + बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्नीका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः (ये बालैः वृद्धैः पत्नीकाभिः सह सन्ति)

• स-अग्निहोत्राः: with (your) agnihotra / possessing agnihotra
• स-अग्निहोत्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय) + अग्निहोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः (ये अग्निहोत्रेण सह/अग्निहोत्रवन्तः)

• मया: with me / by me
• मया: Sahakāraka (Instrumental of accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचनम्

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahārtha (Accompaniment marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; सहार्थक-निपातः (particle of accompaniment)

• तस्मात्: therefore / from that (reason)
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Reason/Source)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोगः; अपादानार्थे (ablatival adverb: therefore/from that reason)

• गच्छत: go (you all)
• गच्छत: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः (2nd person), बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• भद्रम्: well-being / good fortune
• भद्रम्: Prayojana/Āśīḥ (Benedictive expression)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्; आशीर्वादार्थे अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (‘भद्रं वः’ = may it be well for you)

• वः: to you / for you
• वः: Sampradāna (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचनस्य बहुवचन-एन्क्लिटिकः; अत्र चतुर्थी (4th/Dative) बहुवचनार्थे ‘to you’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (locative adverb)

• स्थानम्: a place / abode
• स्थानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Indra

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Camatkārapura (contextual destination)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A leader (contextually Indra or a guiding figure) urges the brāhmaṇas to proceed together—families included—carrying their sacred fires; the scene evokes a ritual caravan departing toward a promised dharma-abode.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Agnihotra
• Brāhmaṇa households

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is portable: even while traveling to tīrthas, householders preserve sacred duties (like Agnihotra) and receive divine protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The destination implied is the previously mentioned holy Camatkārapura/Gayā-kūpa setting where Indra intends to perform śrāddha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

To travel while maintaining Agnihotra observance, including one’s family, as part of the dharmic journey.