Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

अत्रिं च कश्यपं चैव होता कृत्वा महामतिः । जमदग्निं गौतमं च अध्वर्युत्वं न्यवेदयन्

Transliteration

atriṃ ca kaśyapaṃ caiva hotā kṛtvā mahāmatiḥ | jamadagniṃ gautamaṃ ca adhvaryutvaṃ nyavedayan

Translation

Les âmes magnanimes établirent Atri et Kaśyapa comme prêtres Hotṛ ; et confièrent à Jamadagni et à Gautama la charge d’Adhvaryu.

Word by Word

• अत्रिम्: Atri (sage)
• अत्रिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अत्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• कश्यपम्: Kaśyapa (sage)
• कश्यपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्यप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• होता: (as) Hotṛ priest
• होता: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होतृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; यज्ञकर्मणि ऋत्विज्-विशेषः (Hotṛ priest)

• कृत्वा: having made/appointed
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘कृ’ धातोः; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having made/appointed)

• महामतिः: the great-minded one
• महामतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—महान् + मतिः (कर्मधारय)

• जमदग्निम्: Jamadagni (sage)
• जमदग्निम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जमदग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गौतमम्: Gautama (sage)
• गौतमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अध्वर्युत्वम्: the office of Adhvaryu
• अध्वर्युत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्वर्यु + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक-तद्धित (त्व) — ‘अध्वर्यु’ पदस्य ‘अध्वर्यु-भावः/पदम्’

• न्यवेदयन्: they assigned/announced
• न्यवेदयन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + विद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतन-भूत), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु ‘विद्’ (ज्ञापन/वेदन) उपसर्ग ‘नि’—‘न्यवेदयन्’ (they assigned/announced)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya (as narrative-kshetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand yajña pavilion in a sacred forest: Atri and Kaśyapa are ceremonially invested as Hotṛs; Jamadagni and Gautama receive Adhvaryu insignia; gods and sages witness the formal appointment.

Characters & Entities

• Atri
• Kaśyapa
• Jamadagni
• Gautama
• Dharmāraṇya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through correct ritual roles and qualified officiants, not merely through intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya, where the great satra is organized with eminent ṛṣis as priests.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Appointment of Hotṛ and Adhvaryu priests according to Vedic procedure for conducting yajña.