Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

तत्र मर्त्यैः क्रिया सर्वाः क्रियते न मखोद्भवाः । यस्मात्स यज्ञपुरुषो न सुप्तो भागमश्नुते

Transliteration

tatra martyaiḥ kriyā sarvāḥ kriyate na makhodbhavāḥ | yasmātsa yajñapuruṣo na supto bhāgamaśnute

Translation

During that time, mortals may perform all customary rites, but sacrifices born of the great ritual (makha) are not undertaken—because the Lord who is the very Person of Sacrifice does not, while asleep, receive His share.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण) — indeclinable adverb of place

• मर्त्यैः: by mortals
• मर्त्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental plural

• क्रियाः: rites, actions
• क्रियाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन — Feminine, Nominative plural

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — Feminine, Nominative plural; विशेषण (qualifier)

• क्रियते: is performed
• क्रियते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद — Present indicative, 3rd person singular, Atmanepada; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध) — indeclinable negation particle

• मखोद्भवाः: those arising from sacrifices
• मखोद्भवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मख + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative plural; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थे (मखात् उद्भवाः = sacrifices-born)

• यस्मात्: because (from which reason)
• यस्मात्: Apadana (Ablative/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन — Ablative singular of pronoun; हेतु-अर्थे (because)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative singular; सर्वनाम

• यज्ञपुरुषः: the Sacrificial Person (Yajña-Puruṣa)
• यज्ञपुरुषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ + पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (यज्ञस्य पुरुषः)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध) — indeclinable negation particle

• सुप्तः: asleep
• सुप्तः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुप्त (कृदन्त; √स्वप्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Past participle, Masculine nominative singular; विशेषण

• भागम्: a share, portion
• भागम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative singular

• अश्नुते: partakes, receives
• अश्नुते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद — Present indicative, 3rd person singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

Sūta (narrative voice)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual hall stands quiet: fire altars unlit, priests holding ladles at rest; meanwhile householders continue simple daily worship. Above, Viṣṇu as Yajñapuruṣa reclines, indicating the pause in grand sacrifices.

Characters & Entities

• Yajñapuruṣa (Viṣṇu)
• Makha (sacrifice)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual efficacy depends on divine participation; dharma recognizes seasons when certain sacrificial acts are suspended.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Though a general rule is stated, it is taught within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra-centered māhātmya of the Nāgarakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

During the Lord’s śayana season, major sacrificial rites (makha-type yajñas) are to be avoided, while other customary rites may continue.