Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

चतुर्दिक्ष्वंग संयुक्ता देवब्राह्मणसंयुताः । एतेषामग्रतो दिब्यं कृत्वा त्वं जनसंसदि

Transliteration

caturdikṣvaṃga saṃyuktā devabrāhmaṇasaṃyutāḥ | eteṣāmagrato dibyaṃ kṛtvā tvaṃ janasaṃsadi

Translation

In the four directions, with the limbs of the rite properly arranged and attended by gods and brāhmaṇas—before them you performed the sacred act in the assembly of people.

Word by Word

• चतुर्-दिक्षु: in the four directions
• चतुर्-दिक्षु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numerical compound), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अङ्ग: limb/part (attendant element)
• अङ्ग: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); संदर्भे ‘अङ्ग-सम्पन्नाः’ इत्यर्थे उपपदवत्

• संयुक्ताः: joined/assembled
• संयुक्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• देव-ब्राह्मण-संयुताः: accompanied by gods and brāhmaṇas
• देव-ब्राह्मण-संयुताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुत (सम्-युज् धातु + क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative; ‘देवैः ब्राह्मणैः च संयुताः’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• एतेषाम्: of these
• एतेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अग्रतः: in front (of)
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) अर्थः ‘पुरतः/in front’

• दिव्यम्: divine/holy
• दिव्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• जन-संसदि: in the assembly of people
• जन-संसदि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक) + संसद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative; ‘जनानां संसद्’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Uncertain (addressing 'you'; likely continuing the same ritual-justification speech)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A consecrated assembly at a tīrtha: the performer stands at the center, ritual implements arranged to the four directions; brāhmaṇas recite, devas are envisioned as subtle witnesses above; townspeople sit in a semicircle as the ‘divya’ act is completed.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Devāḥ
• Caturdiś (four directions)
• Jana-saṃsad (assembly)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharmic rites are to be performed with completeness (aṅgas), order (directions), and proper witnesses (brāhmaṇas and divine powers), ensuring sanctity and social-ritual legitimacy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha appears in this verse; it emphasizes ritual setting and witnesses within the chapter’s narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It indicates a structured rite arranged in four directions with full ritual components (aṅgas), performed before qualified witnesses in a public assembly.