Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

वेदोक्तेः सवनैस्तस्माद्दर्शयंति द्विजोत्तमाः । इष्टं वा यदि वानिष्टं पृच्छमानस्य चा र्थिनः

Transliteration

vedokteḥ savanaistasmāddarśayaṃti dvijottamāḥ | iṣṭaṃ vā yadi vāniṣṭaṃ pṛcchamānasya cā rthinaḥ

Translation

Therefore, by the savanas prescribed in the Veda, the foremost brāhmaṇas disclose to the petitioner who asks what is to be desired—or what is to be avoided.

Word by Word

• वेदोक्तेः: from the Vedic injunction/statement
• वेदोक्तेः: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + उक्ति (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (वेदस्य उक्तिः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• सवनैः: by (means of) savanas/ritual sessions
• सवनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore, from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दर्शयन्ति: they show, they indicate
• दर्शयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• द्विजोत्तमाः: the best of the twice-born
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (द्विजानाम् उत्तमाः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• इष्टम्: the desired/pleasant (result)
• इष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → इष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (विकल्प-निपात)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात

• यदि: if
• यदि: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक अव्यय

• वा: or
• वा: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (विकल्प-निपात)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात

• अनिष्टम्: the undesired/unpleasant (result)
• अनिष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + इष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पृच्छमानस्य: of the one who is asking
• पृच्छमानस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) + शानच् (कृत्) → पृच्छमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (समुच्चय-निपात)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• अर्थिनः: of the petitioner/seeker
• अर्थिनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahmaśālā savana-practice (Nāgara-khaṇḍa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijottamāḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brāhmaṇas perform a restrained Vedic rite (savana): kusa grass, water vessel, small fire or offering setup; then they indicate the outcome to a petitioner with calm certainty.

Characters & Entities

• dvijottamāḥ
• savana (Vedic rite)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Auspicious guidance should be sought through Veda-aligned procedures and qualified brāhmaṇas, not through arbitrary opinion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse highlights the tīrtha-assembly’s Vedic functioning rather than a named pilgrimage spot.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Use of Veda-prescribed ‘savana’ observances as a means to disclose favourable or unfavourable outcomes to a sincere petitioner.