Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणान्वाचयित्वा च सिंहासनसमाश्रितः । एतस्मिन्नंतरे धेनुः समाहूता च नंदिनी

Transliteration

brāhmaṇānvācayitvā ca siṃhāsanasamāśritaḥ | etasminnaṃtare dhenuḥ samāhūtā ca naṃdinī

Translation

Habiendo hecho que los brāhmaṇas recitaran palabras védicas y bendiciones, y tomando asiento en el trono, entretanto fue convocada la vaca Nandinī.

Word by Word

• brāhmaṇān: Brahmins
• brāhmaṇān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (ब्राह्मण प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• vācayitvā: having made (them) recite/read
• vācayitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु) [णिच् causative]
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोग (causative) क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त; ‘वाचयित्वा’ = having caused to recite/read

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• siṃhāsana-samāśritaḥ: seated on the throne
• siṃhāsana-samāśritaḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: siṃhāsana (सिंहासन) + sam-ā-√śri (श्रि धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle) पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्म-तत्पुरुष (siṃhāsanaṃ samāśritaḥ = seated on the throne)

• etasmin: in this
• etasmin: Adhikaraṇa (Location/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (एतद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• antare: in the interval / meanwhile
• antare: Adhikaraṇa (Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antara (अन्तर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘अन्तरे’ = in the meantime/within

• dhenuḥ: cow
• dhenuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhenu (धेनु प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• samāhūtā: summoned/called
• samāhūtā: Karta (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-√hū (हू धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (of dhenuḥ)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• nandinī: Nandinī (name of the cow)
• nandinī: Karta (Apposition to dhenuḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nandinī (नन्दिनी प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषनाम (proper noun)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal hall or pavilion: brāhmaṇas seated chanting; the king ascends a lion-throne; attendants hold flywhisks; at the side, messengers summon the divine cow Nandinī, hinting at her imminent arrival.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Nandinī
• Viśvāmitra
• Vasiṣṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through proper order—honoring Brāhmaṇas, sanctifying actions with sacred speech, and then undertaking service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No explicit tīrtha is named; the verse portrays dharmic courtly and ritual context within a Tīrthamāhātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Engaging Brāhmaṇas for recitation/benediction prior to major acts of hospitality or ceremony.