Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

ददौ दीक्षां समाहूय ब्राह्मणान्वेदपारगान् । यत्रकर्मोचिते काले तस्मिन्नेव वने शुभे

Transliteration

dadau dīkṣāṃ samāhūya brāhmaṇānvedapāragān | yatrakarmocite kāle tasminneva vane śubhe

Translation

Er verlieh die dīkṣā (Weihe), nachdem er Brahmanen, kundig in den Veden, herbeigerufen hatte; und zur rituell angemessenen Zeit vollzog er es in eben jenem glückverheißenden Wald.

Word by Word

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• दीक्षाम्: initiation (dīkṣā)
• दीक्षाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• समाहूय: having summoned
• समाहूय: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-ह्वा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), ‘having summoned/called together’

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वेदपारगान्: versed in the Vedas
• वेदपारगान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद + पारग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (वेदस्य पारगः = ‘one who has gone to the end of the Veda’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) ब्राह्मणान्

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), सम्बन्धबोधक/देशवाचक (relative adverb: ‘where’)

• कर्मोचिते: appropriate for the ritual
• कर्मोचिते: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्म + उचित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (कर्मणि उचितः = ‘appropriate for the rite’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) काले

• काले: at the time
• काले: Adhikaraṇa (Location/Time locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (Emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निश्चय/अवधारण (particle of emphasis: ‘indeed/just’)

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• शुभे: auspicious
• शुभे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) वने

Speaker

Sūta (narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In a serene sacred forest clearing, the patron summons Veda-knowing brāhmaṇas; a dīkṣā moment is prepared with kuśa-grass, water vessels, and a small consecrated fire, suggesting the rite’s auspicious timing.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Viśvāmitra
• Brāhmaṇas
• Veda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred results depend on sanctified preparation: dīkṣā, qualified priests, and correct timing are integral to dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse refers to an auspicious forest-ritual setting but does not specify a named tīrtha in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Receiving dīkṣā (consecration), engaging Veda-masters as priests, and performing rites at the proper ritual time.