Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मविष्णुपुरोगाश्च पुरोधायाग्निमाययुः । योगसिद्धा समायांतं वरवेषं वृषध्वजम्

Transliteration

brahmaviṣṇupurogāśca purodhāyāgnimāyayuḥ | yogasiddhā samāyāṃtaṃ varaveṣaṃ vṛṣadhvajam

Translation

Angeführt von Brahmā und Viṣṇu kamen sie herbei, den heiligen Opferbrand und den Priester mit sich führend. Die im Yoga Vollendeten sahen Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva) nahen, im Gewand des Bräutigams.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मविष्णुपुरोगाः: with Brahmā and Viṣṇu in the lead
• ब्रह्मविष्णुपुरोगाः: Karta (Qualifier of subject/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + विष्णु + पुरोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्म-विष्णू पुरोगौ येषाम्) ‘having Brahmā and Viṣṇu in front’

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• पुरोधाय: having placed in front / having appointed (as)
• पुरोधाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पुरस् (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + धा (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘placing in front/appointing as priest’

• अग्निम्: Agni (fire-god)
• अग्निम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आययुः: came
• आययुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• योगसिद्धाः: the yogic adepts
• योगसिद्धाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग + सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (योगेन सिद्धाः) ‘perfected by yoga’

• समायान्तम्: (him) who was approaching
• समायान्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-या (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘coming/approaching’

• वरवेषम्: in splendid attire
• वरवेषम्: Karma (Apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर + वेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (वरः वेषः) ‘splendid attire’

• वृषध्वजम्: the bull-bannered one (Śiva)
• वृषध्वजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (वृषः ध्वजः यस्य) ‘whose banner is the bull’

Speaker

Deductive (narrator in Nāgara Khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand wedding-procession: Brahmā and Viṣṇu lead a retinue carrying the sacred fire; yogic siddhas stand in reverent astonishment as Śiva (Vṛṣadhvaja) approaches dressed as a bridegroom.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Agni (sacred fire)
• Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva)
• Yogasiddhas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma is performed, even the highest deities and siddhas uphold and witness the sanctity of the rite.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not stated in this verse; it functions within a tīrtha-glorifying chapter context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Presence of agni (sacred fire) and a purohita indicates formal Vedic performance of the marriage ceremony.