Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

इष्टिकानां सहस्राणि दश चाष्टशतानि च । कर्तव्यानि त्वया शीघ्रं चयनानीति सत्वरम्

Transliteration

iṣṭikānāṃ sahasrāṇi daśa cāṣṭaśatāni ca | kartavyāni tvayā śīghraṃ cayanānīti satvaram

Translation

Dix mille briques, et encore huit cents de plus, tu dois les façonner sans délai—prépare-les aussitôt pour l’édification de l’autel sacré.

Word by Word

• iṣṭikānām: of bricks
• iṣṭikānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: iṣṭikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• sahasrāṇi: thousands
• sahasrāṇi: Karma (Count-object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-नाम (numeral noun)

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Visheshana (Numeral qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः (indeclinable-like numeral), बहुवचनार्थे (ten)

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

• aṣṭaśatāni: eight hundreds (800s)
• aṣṭaśatāni: Karma (Count-object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa + śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (aṣṭau śatāni = eight hundreds)

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

• kartavyāni: to be made
• kartavyāni: Karya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + tavya (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृत्य (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (to be made)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrument/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• śīghram: quickly
• śīghram: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śīghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• cayanāni: brick-layings; arrangements (piling)
• cayanāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cayana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन; ‘चयन’ = piling/arrangement (of bricks)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• satvaram: swiftly; without delay
• satvaram: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sa-tvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: hastily/with speed)

Speaker

Brahmā (continued instruction)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viśvakarman

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Stacks of freshly made bricks are counted and arranged; priests and artisans prepare to lay them in patterned layers for the altar, with measuring cords and sacred diagrams nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Iṣṭikā (brick)
• Cayana (altar piling)
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Great merit arises from disciplined effort—sacred undertakings demand both devotion and diligent preparation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse contributes to the tīrtha’s glorification by depicting a major yajña performed there; the site name is not explicit in this single śloka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A specified quantity of bricks is to be prepared swiftly for altar construction (cayana).