Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

ऋत्विजस्तु सदोमध्ये स्थिता वाचंयमास्तथा

Transliteration

ṛtvijastu sadomadhye sthitā vācaṃyamāstathā

Translation

Y los sacerdotes permanecieron en medio del sadas (salón del sacrificio), conteniendo la palabra, serenos y en silencio.

Word by Word

• ऋत्विजः: the priests (ṛtviks)
• ऋत्विजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• तु: but; and
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• सदोमध्ये: in the middle of the sacrificial hall (sadas)
• सदोमध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदस् (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: सदसः मध्ये; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• स्थिताः: standing; stationed
• स्थिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे

• वाचंयमाः: restraining speech; silent
• वाचंयमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक) + यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (determinative): वाचं यमयन्ति इति; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In the center of the sadas, the ṛtviks stand firm—silent, self-controlled—while turmoil swirls around the yajña; their calm forms a still axis amid chaos.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛtvijas
• Sadas (sacrificial hall)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner restraint (especially speech-discipline) is presented as a key strength of dharma during crisis.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, as the sanctified setting of a properly conducted yajña.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vācaṃyama (restraint of speech) is implied as an aspect of ritual discipline within the sadas.