Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 92

Devanagari script

भर्तृयज्ञेन ये त्यक्ताः श्राद्धे यज्ञे विशेषतः । हीनांगाश्चाधिकांगाश्च द्विर्नग्नाः श्यावदंतकाः

Transliteration

bhartṛyajñena ye tyaktāḥ śrāddhe yajñe viśeṣataḥ | hīnāṃgāścādhikāṃgāśca dvirnagnāḥ śyāvadaṃtakāḥ

Translation

(The King continued:) “Those whom Bhartṛyajña rejected—especially for śrāddha and yajña—are described as deficient-limbed or excessive-limbed, twice-naked, and dark-toothed.”

Word by Word

• भर्तृयज्ञेन: by the husband’s rite (as a cause/means)
• भर्तृयज्ञेन: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समास: भर्तुः यज्ञः (husband’s rite) → भर्तृयज्ञ; करण/हेतु-प्रयोग

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• त्यक्ताः: abandoned/rejected
• त्यक्ताः: Karya-prakara (predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय

• श्राद्धे: in śrāddha
• श्राद्धे: Adhikarana (Location/context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• यज्ञे: in sacrifice
• यज्ञे: Adhikarana (Location/context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Sambandha (manner modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक अव्यय (adverb: especially)

• हीनाङ्गाः: having deficient limbs
• हीनाङ्गाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: हीनानि अङ्गानि येषां ते (those whose limbs are deficient)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• अधिकाङ्गाः: having extra limbs
• अधिकाङ्गाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: अधिकानि अङ्गानि येषां ते (those with extra limbs)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• द्विः: twice
• द्विः: Sambandha (modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्विः (अव्यय)
• Form: संख्यावाचक/आवृत्तिवाचक अव्यय (twice)

• नग्नाः: naked
• नग्नाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नग्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• श्यावदन्तकाः: having dark teeth
• श्यावदन्तकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्याव + दन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: श्यावाः दन्तकाः (दन्ताः) येषां ते (those with dark teeth)

Speaker

The King (Rājan)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nāgara-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viśvāmitra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king gestures toward a mixed crowd of would-be priests, some depicted with symbolic signs of ‘doṣa’ (torn garments, unkempt appearance), while the sage listens gravely; the tone is cautionary and socially tense.

Characters & Entities

• Bhartṛyajña
• Śrāddha
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It reflects the Purāṇic concern for defining ritual boundaries and the community’s criteria for acceptance in rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha context is the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya; this verse itself is part of the king’s question, not a site description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It references categories considered rejected for śrāddha/yajña by Bhartṛyajña, setting up an explanation.