Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

तेऽपि ब्राह्मणशार्दूलाश्चातुश्चरणसंभवाः । क्रमेण शांतिकं चक्रुर्ब्रह्मचर्यपरायणाः

Transliteration

te'pi brāhmaṇaśārdūlāścātuścaraṇasaṃbhavāḥ | krameṇa śāṃtikaṃ cakrurbrahmacaryaparāyaṇāḥ

Translation

Ces brāhmaṇa, tels des tigres, issus de la quadruple tradition védique, accomplirent successivement les rites d’apaisement (śāntika), demeurant fermes dans le brahmacarya.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle, also/too)

• ब्राह्मणशार्दूलाः: tigers among Brahmins (eminent Brahmins)
• ब्राह्मणशार्दूलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (brāhmaṇānāṃ śārdūlāḥ)

• चातुश्चरणसंभवाः: born from the four feet (i.e., from the four Vedas/quarters)
• चातुश्चरणसंभवाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुस् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + चरण (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुष-समासः (चातुः=चतुर्-; चतुष्चरण-सम्भवाः = four-footed-origin/produced)

• क्रमेण: in due order, successively
• क्रमेण: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental), एकवचनम्; क्रियाविशेषणत्वेन (adverbial use)

• शांतिकम्: the pacificatory rite
• शांतिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्

• चक्रुः: they performed
• चक्रुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम् (Plural); परस्मैपदम्

• ब्रह्मचर्यपरायणाः: devoted to brahmacarya
• ब्रह्मचर्यपरायणाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मचर्ये परायणाः = devoted to celibacy)

Speaker

Narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of tiger-like brāhmaṇas, austere and radiant, seated in a consecrated enclosure, performing sequential śānti rites with Vedic implements; their demeanor is calm, celibate, and disciplined.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Śānti (pacificatory rite)
• Brahmacarya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual power is grounded in purity, learning, and disciplined conduct—especially brahmacarya—when performing śānti rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse focuses on the officiants and the śānti performance; the broader setting remains the Nāgarakhaṇḍa tīrtha narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sequential performance (krama) of śāntika rites by qualified, disciplined brāhmaṇas.