Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

यत्सप्तमंडलानां च गमनं च करार्पणम् । वह्निश्च वरुणः कृष्णो देवताश्च सवल्लभाः

Transliteration

yatsaptamaṃḍalānāṃ ca gamanaṃ ca karārpaṇam | vahniśca varuṇaḥ kṛṣṇo devatāśca savallabhāḥ

Translation

That is: the circumambulation of the seven circles, and the giving of the hand (the handing-over in marriage). Agni, Varuṇa, Kṛṣṇa, and the other beloved deities present are witnesses and powers of the rite.

Word by Word

• यत्: which/that
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (relative pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); अन्वयः—‘यत् (कर्म)’

• सप्त-मण्डलानाम्: of the seven circles/rounds
• सप्त-मण्डलानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numerical compound), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• गमनम्: going/circumambulation
• गमनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गम् (धातु) + अन (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त-भाववाचक (action noun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कर-अर्पणम्: giving of the hand (handing over)
• कर-अर्पणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्पण (अर्प् धातु + ल्युट्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative; ‘करस्य अर्पणम्’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• वह्निः: Agni (fire)
• वह्निः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वरुणः: Varuṇa
• वरुणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवताः: deities
• देवताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• स-वल्लभाः: together with (their) beloveds
• स-वल्लभाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ ‘सह’) + वल्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (adverbial; ‘वल्लभैः सह’/‘with their beloveds’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Uncertain (continuation of address about marriage rites; likely the same speaker as previous verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A couple performs saptapadī around the sacred fire within a drawn mandala; Agni rises as a personified deity; Varuṇa appears with water-pot; Kṛṣṇa stands as auspicious witness among other devatā-s.

Characters & Entities

• Agni (Vahni)
• Varuṇa
• Kṛṣṇa
• Devatāḥ
• Sapta-maṇḍala (seven rounds/circles)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Marriage is portrayed as a sacred, deity-witnessed dharmic act, sanctified by prescribed steps and offerings rather than mere social contract.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is named in this verse; it highlights vivāha-saṃskāra elements within the chapter’s larger sacred narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Circumambulation/going through seven circles (sapta-maṇḍala) and karārpaṇa (handing/placing of the hand) are explicitly referenced.