Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

शकृत्स्था वसवः सर्वे साध्या मूत्रस्थितास्तव । सर्वे यज्ञा ह्यस्थिदेशे किन्नरा गुह्यसंस्थिताः

Transliteration

śakṛtsthā vasavaḥ sarve sādhyā mūtrasthitāstava | sarve yajñā hyasthideśe kinnarā guhyasaṃsthitāḥ

Translation

Alle Vasus weilen in deinem Kot, und die Sādhyas sind in deinem Urin verortet. Alle Opferhandlungen sind in deinen Knochen gegenwärtig, und die Kinnaras wohnen in deinen verborgenen Teilen.

Word by Word

• शकृत्स्थाः: located in feces
• शकृत्स्थाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शकृत् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त; √स्था)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘शकृति स्थिताः’

• वसवः: the Vasus
• वसवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• साध्याः: the Sādhyas
• साध्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• मूत्रस्थिताः: situated in urine
• मूत्रस्थिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थित (कृदन्त; √स्था + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘मूत्रे स्थिताः’

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• यज्ञाः: sacrifices
• यज्ञाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/हेतौ (indeed/for)

• अस्थिदेशे: in the region of the bones
• अस्थिदेशे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक) + देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘अस्थ्नां देशे’

• किन्नराः: Kinnaras
• किन्नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किन्नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• गुह्यसंस्थिताः: situated in the private parts
• गुह्यसंस्थिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थित (कृदन्त; √स्था + सम् उपसर्ग + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘गुह्ये संस्थिताः’ (in the secret parts)

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual stuti within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya; likely a devotee/sage praising Devī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic form where even the lowest bodily functions are shown as luminous abodes of deities: Vasus as radiant sparks near the hindquarters, Sādhyas as subtle beings near flowing waters, yajña-symbols (altars, ladles) embedded like bone-patterns, Kinnaras hidden in veiled, symbolic motifs—handled with reverent abstraction.

Characters & Entities

• Vasus
• Sādhyas
• Yajñas
• Kinnaras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Nothing is outside the sacred order: even what seems impure is integrated into the divine cosmos, urging reverence and dharmic vision.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is directly named; the verse intensifies the chapter’s mahātmya by portraying total sacrality.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; “all yajñas” are said to reside in the divine body, underscoring the sanctity of sacrificial dharma.