Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 90

Devanagari script

ददतुः सृष्टिसंरक्षां ब्रह्मणे दक्षिणामुभौ । अग्नये यज्ञभागांश्च प्रीतौ हरजनार्दनौ

Transliteration

dadatuḥ sṛṣṭisaṃrakṣāṃ brahmaṇe dakṣiṇāmubhau | agnaye yajñabhāgāṃśca prītau harajanārdanau

Translation

Satisfaits, Hara et Janārdana donnèrent ensemble à Brahmā, en guise de dakṣiṇā (rétribution rituelle), la charge de protéger la création ; et à Agni ils accordèrent les parts légitimes du sacrifice.

Word by Word

• dadatuḥ: the two gave
• dadatuḥ: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), द्विवचनम् (Dual); परस्मैपदम्

• sṛṣṭi-saṃrakṣām: protection of creation
• sṛṣṭi-saṃrakṣām: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃrakṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम् (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘सृष्टेः संरक्षा’

• brahmaṇe: to Brahmā
• brahmaṇe: Sampradāna (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (Dative/4th), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• dakṣiṇām: a sacrificial fee/gift
• dakṣiṇām: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• ubhau: both (of them)
• ubhau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), द्विवचनम् (Dual)

• agnaye: to Agni
• agnaye: Sampradāna (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (Dative/4th), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• yajña-bhāgān: shares/portions of the sacrifice
• yajña-bhāgān: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम् (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘यज्ञस्य भागाः’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्—समुच्चयबोधकः (and)

• prītau: pleased
• prītau: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prīta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √prī (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), द्विवचनम् (Dual); कर्तृविशेषणम्—‘प्रसन्नौ’

• hara-janārdanau: Hara and Janārdana (Śiva and Viṣṇu)
• hara-janārdanau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara (प्रातिपदिक) + janārdana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), द्विवचनम् (Dual); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः—‘हरश्च जनार्दनश्च’

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva (Hara) and Viṣṇu (Janārdana) together, in concord, ceremonially granting Brahmā a symbolic ‘charge’ (scroll/insignia) of protecting creation; Agni receives clarified butter and offerings, flames rising as ‘yajña-bhāga’.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Hara)
• Viṣṇu (Janārdana)
• Brahmā
• Agni
• Yajña
• Dakṣiṇā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is sustained when cosmic roles are honored—Brahmā’s stewardship and Agni’s sacrificial due are both upheld.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific place is named; the verse glorifies yajña as a cosmic institution.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Giving dakṣiṇā to officiants and assigning proper yajña-bhāga (sacrificial shares) to Agni.