Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

अग्रस्थांस्तान्द्विजान्सर्वान्नमश्चक्रे समाहितः

Transliteration

agrasthāṃstāndvijānsarvānnamaścakre samāhitaḥ

Translation

Con la mente recogida, rindió homenaje a todos aquellos brāhmaṇas que ocupaban el lugar principal.

Word by Word

• अग्रस्थान्: standing in front
• अग्रस्थान्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्र + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अग्रे स्थिता:); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• द्विजान्: Brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजान्: Karma (Object apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Karma (Object of salutation/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग (interjectional use)

• चक्रे: made/did (paid)
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• समाहितः: composed/attentive
• समाहितः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + धा (धातु) → समाहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकालिक-कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘collected/attentive’

Speaker

Deductive (Nāgara Khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Purāṇic framing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, hands folded, bows to a line of senior brāhmaṇas standing at the front of the temple courtyard; attendants remain behind, subdued.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas (Dvijas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is completed by humility—honoring the virtuous and learned is itself a form of worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Devī’s temple precinct where brāhmaṇas reside and are honored, reinforcing the site’s dharmic stature.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering respectful salutations (namaskāra) with a composed mind to worthy brāhmaṇas.