Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

ततो देवगणाः सर्वे यज्ञभागविवर्जिताः । कृच्छ्रं परमनुप्राप्ता मन्त्रं चक्रुः परस्परम्

Transliteration

tato devagaṇāḥ sarve yajñabhāgavivarjitāḥ | kṛcchraṃ paramanuprāptā mantraṃ cakruḥ parasparam

Translation

Dann gerieten alle Scharen der Götter, ihrer Opferanteile beraubt, in größte Bedrängnis und berieten sich miteinander.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषणम्) = indeclinable adverb: "then"

• देवगणाः: hosts of gods
• देवगणाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः = देवानां गणाः

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (qualifying देवगणाः)

• यज्ञभागविवर्जिताः: deprived of their share in the sacrifice
• यज्ञभागविवर्जिताः: Karta (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यज्ञ + भाग + वि-√वृज्/वर्ज् (धातु) > विवर्जित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त) = past passive participle; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः = यज्ञभागेन विवर्जिताः (instrumental/ablative sense: deprived of sacrificial share)

• कृच्छ्रम्: distress; hardship
• कृच्छ्रम्: Karma (State/Extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् प्रयोगः (accusative of extent/state)

• परम्: great; extreme
• परम्: Karma (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कृच्छ्रम् इति विशेषणम्

• अनुप्राप्ताः: having reached; having fallen into
• अनुप्राप्ताः: Karta (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु-√प्राप् (धातु) > अनुप्राप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त) = past participle; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (agreeing with देवगणाः)

• मन्त्रम्: a counsel; plan
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चक्रुः: they made; they devised
• चक्रुः: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; perfect: "they did/made"

• परस्परम्: mutually; among themselves
• परस्परम्: Adhikarana (Mutual relation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्पर (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषणम्) = indeclinable adverb: "mutually/among themselves"

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice within Nāgarakhaṇḍa; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa addressing sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Assemblage of devas in a celestial council, faces troubled, hands gesturing in debate; sacrificial ladles and offering bowls appear unused, symbolizing loss of yajña-bhāga; the atmosphere is tense and deliberative.

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Yajña is portrayed as part of cosmic reciprocity; when it ceases, devas are deprived and order is disturbed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative arises due to the extraordinary effects surrounding the Hāṭakeśvara tīrtha/kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse highlights yajña-bhāga (offerings/shares in sacrifice), implying the importance of maintaining sacrificial rites.