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Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

ऋत्विज ऊचुः । कथं यज्ञक्रिया कार्या कपाले सदसि स्थिते । परिक्षिपथ तस्मात्तु एवमूचुर्द्विजोत्तमाः

ṛtvija ūcuḥ | kathaṃ yajñakriyā kāryā kapāle sadasi sthite | parikṣipatha tasmāttu evamūcurdvijottamāḥ

Los sacerdotes oficiantes dijeron: '¿Cómo pueden realizarse los ritos de sacrificio mientras hay una calavera en la asamblea? ¡Por lo tanto, echadla fuera!' —así hablaron los mejores de los nacidos dos veces.

ṛtvijaḥthe priests
ṛtvijaḥ:
Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootṛtvij (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
ūcuḥsaid
ūcuḥ:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन
kathamhow
katham:
Sambandha (Interrogative)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkatham (अव्यय)
Formप्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)
yajñakriyāthe sacrificial rite
yajñakriyā:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyajña + kriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (yajñasya kriyā)
kāryāto be performed
kāryā:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootkārya (प्रातिपदिक; from √kṛ)
Formभाव्य/विधेय विशेषण (gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'कर्तव्या' (to be done)
kapālein/on the skull-bowl
kapāle:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootkapāla (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
sadasiin the assembly (hall)
sadasi:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootsadas (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
sthitewhen it is placed/standing
sthite:
Sati-saptami (Circumstantial)
TypeAdjective
Root√sthā (धातु)
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)
parikṣipathathrow it away / cast it aside
parikṣipatha:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpari-√kṣip (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद
tasmāttherefore/from that
tasmāt:
Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source)
TypeNoun
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन
tuthen/indeed
tu:
Sambandha (Linker/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थक
evamthus
evam:
Kriya-visheshana (Manner)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootevam (अव्यय)
Formप्रकारवाचक-अव्यय
ūcuḥsaid
ūcuḥ:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन
dvijottamāḥthe best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
dvijottamāḥ:
Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootdvija + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (dvijānāṃ uttamāḥ)

Ṛtvijas (officiating priests)

Type: kshetra

Scene: Officiating priests confer in the yajña pavilion, pointing toward a skull lying near the assembly; attendants prepare to remove it beyond the ritual boundary; the vedi and fire remain central, emphasizing order and cleanliness.

Ṛtvijas
Y
Yajña
K
Kapāla
S
Sadas (ritual assembly)

FAQs

Sacred rites require a pure and proper setting; dharma is upheld by promptly removing what disrupts or defiles ritual order.

The verse occurs within a tīrtha narrative centered on a yajña-vāṭa, but it does not specify the tīrtha name in this line.

Remove the kapāla from the ritual assembly so yajña-kriyā can proceed correctly.

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