Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

एकैकं वा त्रयाणां वा एकमेवं निमंत्रयेत् । ब्राह्मणान्मातृपक्षे च एष एव विधिः स्मृतः

Transliteration

ekaikaṃ vā trayāṇāṃ vā ekamevaṃ nimaṃtrayet | brāhmaṇānmātṛpakṣe ca eṣa eva vidhiḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

Man kann sie einzeln einladen, oder alle drei zusammen, oder sogar nur einen einzigen Brāhmaṇa auf diese Weise. Auch für die mütterliche Linie gilt eben dieses Verfahren als überlieferte Regel.

Word by Word

• एकैकम्: each one
• एकैकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक-एक (प्रातिपदिक; पुनरुक्ति-समासवत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular; ‘each one (individually)’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)

• त्रयाणाम्: of three
• त्रयाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — Genitive plural; ‘of three’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय

• एकम्: one (single person)
• एकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• एवम्: thus/in this way
• एवम्: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक

• निमन्त्रयेत्: should invite
• निमन्त्रयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√मन्त्र् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘should invite’

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Accusative plural

• मातृपक्षे: in the maternal line
• मातृपक्षे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ-पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Locative singular; ‘in the maternal side/lineage’

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

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात

• विधिः: rule/procedure
• विधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• स्मृतः: is stated/remembered
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘is remembered/declared’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya instructional discourse style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder consults elders/śāstra, then invites either one Brāhmaṇa or three together; a parallel scene shows offerings intended for the maternal line, indicating inclusivity.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Mātṛpakṣa (maternal line)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual sincerity and correct method matter more than display; even minimal arrangements, when done properly, uphold dharma for both paternal and maternal ancestors.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is tīrtha-śrāddha in Nāgarakhaṇḍa; this verse itself does not name a particular location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Invitation may be done individually, collectively for three, or even for one Brāhmaṇa; the same method applies for the maternal line rites.