Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

कुण्डानि तोरणान्येव ब्राह्मणग्रहपूजने । पूर्ववत्सकलं कृत्वा मध्ये वेदिं प्रकल्पयेत्

Transliteration

kuṇḍāni toraṇānyeva brāhmaṇagrahapūjane | pūrvavatsakalaṃ kṛtvā madhye vediṃ prakalpayet

Translation

Für die Verehrung der Brāhmaṇas und der Graha-Gottheiten sollen auch die Kuṇḍas (Feuergruben) und die Toraṇas (Torbögen) bereitet werden. Nachdem alles wie zuvor getan ist, richte man in der Mitte die Vedī (Opferstätte) ein.

Word by Word

• कुण्डानि: fire-pits; kundas
• कुण्डानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तोरणानि: arches/gateways
• तोरणानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• ब्राह्मणग्रहपूजने: in the worship of Brahmins and planets
• ब्राह्मणग्रहपूजने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण + ग्रह + पूजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः (determinative): 'ब्राह्मणानां ग्रहाणां च पूजनम्' इत्यर्थे; locative: 'in/for the worship...'

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तुल्यतावाचक (like before)

• सकलम्: all; the whole (set of rites)
• सकलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (object of कृत्वा: 'everything')

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): 'having done'

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative)

• वेदिम्: an altar
• वेदिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रकल्पयेत्: should arrange/prepare
• प्रकल्पयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कल्प् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña (procedural instruction)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A consecrated ritual pavilion: multiple small fire-pits arranged symmetrically, festooned toraṇas at the entrance, brāhmaṇas seated for honor, and a raised central vedī prepared for the main rite.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa(s)
• Graha(s)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dāna is completed by honoring sacred persons (brāhmaṇas) and cosmic order (grahas), integrating social and cosmic dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The procedural teaching continues within the Gautameśvara tīrtha context of Nāgarakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prepare kuṇḍas and toraṇas for brāhmaṇa- and graha-worship; complete prior arrangements; install a central vedī (altar).