Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

कुण्डानि चैव सर्वाणि यथास्थानेषु कारय । यज्ञपात्राणि सर्वाणि ग्रहाश्च चमसास्तथा

Transliteration

kuṇḍāni caiva sarvāṇi yathāsthāneṣu kāraya | yajñapātrāṇi sarvāṇi grahāśca camasāstathā

Translation

« Fais aménager tous les foyers sacrificiels à leur place prescrite. Et prépare tous les vases du sacrifice, ainsi que les grahas et les louches (camasas). »

Word by Word

• kuṇḍāni: pits; fire-pits
• kuṇḍāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• sarvāṇi: all
• sarvāṇi: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc./2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies kuṇḍāni)

• yathāsthāneṣu: in their proper places
• yathāsthāneṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yathā + sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन; अव्ययीभावः (yathā-sthānam = in the proper places)

• kāraya: have (them) made; cause to be constructed
• kāraya: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) [णिच् causative]
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: have made)

• yajñapātrāṇi: sacrificial vessels
• yajñapātrāṇi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña + pātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc./2nd), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (yajñasya pātrāṇi = vessels of the sacrifice)

• sarvāṇi: all
• sarvāṇi: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc./2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies yajñapātrāṇi)

• grahāḥ: graha-cups; ladles (ritual vessels)
• grahāḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: graha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Vedic/epic usage: acc.=nom. form in -āḥ)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• camasāḥ: cups; bowls
• camasāḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: camasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (epic usage: -āḥ)

• tathā: also; likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: also/likewise)

Speaker

Brahmā (continued instruction)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viśvakarman

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual ground marked with multiple fire-pits in precise positions; attendants arrange shining vessels, grahas, and ladles on cloth-covered platforms.

Characters & Entities

• Kuṇḍa (fire-pit)
• Yajñapātra
• Graha (ritual vessel)
• Camasa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right worship requires right order—outer correctness in ritual supports inner reverence and sacred intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse functions as procedural support within a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter; the exact site is contextual to the surrounding narrative rather than named here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Proper placement of kuṇḍas (fire-pits) and preparation of yajña vessels including grahas and camasas.