Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

यज्ञवेद्यां समागम्य वह्निधारणया तदा । प्राणायामपरा भूत्वा देहोत्सर्गं चकार सा

Transliteration

yajñavedyāṃ samāgamya vahnidhāraṇayā tadā | prāṇāyāmaparā bhūtvā dehotsargaṃ cakāra sā

Translation

Al llegar al altar del sacrificio, entonces—sosteniendo el fuego interior—se entregó al profundo prāṇāyāma y abandonó su cuerpo.

Word by Word

• यज्ञवेद्याम्: the sacrificial altar
• यज्ञवेद्याम्: Karma (Object/goal of motion/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञवेदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—यज्ञस्य वेदी (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• समागम्य: having approached
• समागम्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• वह्निधारणया: by holding/retaining fire
• वह्निधारणया: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्निधारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—वह्नेः धारणम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• प्राणायामपरा: devoted to prāṇāyāma
• प्राणायामपरा: Karta (Qualifier of subject/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राणायामपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—प्राणायामे परा (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund)

• देहोत्सर्गम्: abandonment of the body
• देहोत्सर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहोत्सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—देहस्य उत्सर्गः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• चकार: did / performed
• चकार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सा: she (Satī)
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrative voice within Tīrthamāhātmya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Satī approaches the yajña-vedī; seated in yogic posture, she kindles inner fire through meditation, restrains breath, and relinquishes the body—flames suggested as both external and internal.

Characters & Entities

• Satī
• Yajña (sacrifice)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse portrays yogic mastery and unwavering devotion—Satī transforms outrage at adharma into a decisive spiritual act.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha appears; the scene is the yajña-vedī (sacrificial altar), serving as a narrative pivot for later sacred-geography outcomes.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prāṇāyāma and vahni-dhāraṇā are mentioned as yogic disciplines; they are described, not prescribed as a general rite.