Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

अनिष्टोमादिभिर्यज्ञैर्यं यजंति द्विजातयः । संपूर्णदक्षिणैरेव तस्मै यज्ञात्मने नमः

Transliteration

aniṣṭomādibhiryajñairyaṃ yajaṃti dvijātayaḥ | saṃpūrṇadakṣiṇaireva tasmai yajñātmane namaḥ

Translation

Him whom the twice-born worship through sacrifices such as the Aniṣṭoma—complete with the proper sacrificial fees—to that Lord whose very essence is sacrifice, I bow.

Word by Word

• aniṣṭoma-ādibhiḥ: by (sacrifices) such as the Aniṣṭoma
• aniṣṭoma-ādibhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aniṣṭoma (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; ‘आदि’समासान्त—aniṣṭoma-ādi = ‘aniṣṭoma etc.’

• yajñaiḥ: by sacrifices
• yajñaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• yam: whom
• yam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; सम्बन्धि—यम् = ‘whom’

• yajanti: worship/sacrifice to
• yajanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yaj (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• dvijātayaḥ: the twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• dvijātayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvi-jāti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; द्विजाति = ‘twice-born (Brāhmaṇa etc.)’

• saṃpūrṇa-dakṣiṇaiḥ: with complete fees/gifts (dakṣiṇās)
• saṃpūrṇa-dakṣiṇaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃpūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक ‘dakṣiṇā’ (दक्षिणा) के साथ; तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय—‘पूर्णा दक्षिणा यस्मिन्/यैः’

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अर्थे—‘only/indeed’

• tasmai: to him
• tasmai: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• yajña-ātmane: to the one whose nature is sacrifice
• yajña-ātmane: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—यज्ञस्य आत्मा = ‘whose essence is sacrifice / the sacrificial Self’

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable interjection); नमः + चतुर्थी—‘salutation to’

Speaker

Candra

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra / Somnātha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/pilgrims (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Vedic altar near the sacred precinct: dvijātis perform Aniṣṭoma-like rites with ladles and fire, while Śiva’s presence is shown as the subtle indweller above the flames, receiving offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Candra
• Śiva (implied)
• Dvijātis
• Aniṣṭoma Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All righteous ritual action (yajña) ultimately points to the divine who is the inner essence of sacrifice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, where Vedic and Purāṇic modes of worship converge in honoring Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of yajñas (e.g., Aniṣṭoma) with proper completion of dakṣiṇā (sacrificial fees/gifts).