Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

स्वर्गमार्गकृते सर्वे चक्रुर्यज्ञांस्ततः परम् । अग्निष्टोमादिकांस्तत्र बहुहोमादिकांस्तथा

Transliteration

svargamārgakṛte sarve cakruryajñāṃstataḥ param | agniṣṭomādikāṃstatra bahuhomādikāṃstathā

Translation

Dann, auf der Suche nach dem Pfad zum Himmel, vollzogen alle Opferhandlungen—Agniṣṭoma und andere Riten dort, ebenso solche mit vielen Feuer-Oblationen (Homa).

Word by Word

• svarga-mārga-kṛte: when the path to heaven was made/prepared
• svarga-mārga-kṛte: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svarga + mārga + kṛta (प्रातिपदिक; √kṛ (कृ) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute) अर्थे 'स्वर्गमार्गे कृते'

• sarve: all (people)
• sarve: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• cakruḥ: they performed, they did
• cakruḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ; धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• yajñān: sacrifices
• yajñān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (Sequence/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण)

• param: further, thereafter
• param: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (क्रियाविशेषण) = 'further/after that'

• agniṣṭoma-ādikān: Agniṣṭoma and similar (sacrifices)
• agniṣṭoma-ādikān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agniṣṭoma + ādi + ka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; 'अग्निष्टोम-आदि' इति तत्पुरुष-समासः, तदन्त -ka प्रत्यय

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• bahu-homa-ādikān: many-homa and similar (rites)
• bahu-homa-ādikān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bahu + homa + ādi + ka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; 'बहुहोम-आदि' तत्पुरुष-समासः

• tathā: likewise, also
• tathā: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकारवाचक)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand śrauta sacrificial ground near the tīrtha: multiple altars, priests chanting, flames rising, offerings poured; participants intent on svarga-mārga, with Agniṣṭoma implements visible.

Characters & Entities

• Svarga
• Agniṣṭoma
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

As dharma diminishes, structured yajña and prescribed rites become key supports for sustaining merit and order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named in this verse; it describes the age’s religious practice within the Māhātmya context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of yajñas such as Agniṣṭoma and other multi-homa sacrifices for attaining svarga.