Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

यथान्यादेवता स्तद्वन्मन्त्रपूतं हविर्विधे । तस्माद्यदि विधे कार्या समाप्तिर्यज्ञकर्मणि

Transliteration

yathānyādevatā stadvanmantrapūtaṃ havirvidhe | tasmādyadi vidhe kāryā samāptiryajñakarmaṇi

Translation

«De même que l’on offre aux autres divinités, ainsi, ô Vidhe (Brahmā), que le ghee, purifié par le mantra, soit offert avec la juste dédicace. Donc, si le sacrifice doit être achevé comme il convient, ô Ordonnateur, la clôture doit se faire selon le rite.»

Word by Word

• yathā: as, just as
• yathā: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (comparative/"as")

• anyā: other
• anyā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (fem. nom. sg.)

• devatā: deity
• devatā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (fem. nom. sg.)

• tadvat: likewise
• tadvat: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadvat (अव्यय/तद्धितान्त)
• Form: अव्यय; तद्वत् = तस्य सदृशम् ("like that")

• mantra-pūtam: purified by mantra
• mantra-pūtam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + pūta (कृदन्त; √pū पवने)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle) विशेषण; मन्त्रेण पूतम् (instr.-tatpuruṣa)

• havis: oblation
• havis: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: havis (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (neut. acc. sg.)

• vidhe: O Ordainer (Brahmā)
• vidhe: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhātr̥/vidhi (प्रातिपदिक; संबोधन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Voc.), एकवचन; सम्बोधन (address)

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-निपातवत्; तस्मात् = अतः/ततः ("therefore")

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तवाचक (conditional "if")

• vidhe: O Brahmā
• vidhe: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhātr̥/vidhi (प्रातिपदिक; संबोधन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Voc.), एकवचन

• kāryā: to be done, required
• kāryā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (कृदन्त; √kṛ करणॆ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण; कर्तव्या/करणीया (gerundive)

• samāptiḥ: completion
• samāptiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samāpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (fem. nom. sg.)

• yajña-karmaṇi: in the sacrificial rite
• yajña-karmaṇi: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; यज्ञस्य कर्मणि (gen.-tatpuruṣa)

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Vedic altar with Agni blazing; a priest offers mantra-purified ghee while a divine presence instructs Brahmā about proper completion of the sacrifice.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Brahmā (Vidhe)
• Devatāḥ
• Havis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma in ritual is consistency: the same reverence and correctness shown to other deities must be shown here as well.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it supports the broader tīrtha-māhātmya by emphasizing correct worship that generates tīrtha-merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer mantra-purified oblations with proper dedication so the yajña can reach valid completion (samāpti).