Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

अत्र यज्ञं समारभ्य यस्त्वां प्राक्पूजयिष्यति । अविघ्नेन मख स्तस्य समाप्तिं प्रव्रजिष्यति

Transliteration

atra yajñaṃ samārabhya yastvāṃ prākpūjayiṣyati | avighnena makha stasya samāptiṃ pravrajiṣyati

Translation

Quiconque entreprend ici un yajña et te vénère d’abord, verra son rite sacrificiel se dérouler sans obstacle et parvenir à son accomplissement.

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Place adjunct/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: here)

• यज्ञम्: sacrifice
• यज्ञम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (accusative singular)

• समारभ्य: having begun
• समारभ्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-रभ् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having begun/after starting’

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन (relative pronoun: who)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (accusative singular: you)

• प्राक्: beforehand
• प्राक्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time adjunct/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: beforehand/first)

• पूजयिष्यति: will worship
• पूजयिष्यति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (simple future, 3rd person singular)

• अविघ्नेन: without hindrance
• अविघ्नेन: Prakāra (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (instrumental of manner: without obstacle)

• मखः: the sacrifice (makha)
• मखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (nominative singular)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (genitive singular: of him/that)

• समाप्तिम्: completion
• समाप्तिम्: Karma (Goal/object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समाप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (accusative singular)

• प्रव्रजिष्यति: will attain/go to
• प्रव्रजिष्यति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (simple future, 3rd person singular)

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapāleśvara

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacrificer arrives at the kṣetra, first offering flowers and bilva to Kapāleśvara before lighting the yajña fire; the rite proceeds smoothly, with no disruptions, as auspicious signs appear.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• yajña
• pūjā
• vighna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Putting the divine first removes impediments and sanctifies all religious undertakings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kapāleśvara sacred area referenced as ‘here’ (atra) in the Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Before conducting a yajña at this site, one should perform prior worship (pūjā) of the Lord.