Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

महावीरपुरोडाशचयनप्रमुखांस्तथा । विवादांश्चक्रिरे चान्ये स्वंस्वं पक्षं समाश्रिताः

Transliteration

mahāvīrapuroḍāśacayanapramukhāṃstathā | vivādāṃścakrire cānye svaṃsvaṃ pakṣaṃ samāśritāḥ

Translation

D’autres encore, chacun s’attachant à son propre parti, soulevèrent de nouvelles controverses—au sujet des offrandes de Mahāvīra, du Puroḍāśa, de l’agencement de l’autel (cayana) et d’autres points majeurs du même ordre.

Word by Word

• महावीरपुरोडाशचयनप्रमुखान्: the principal (matters) such as the Mahāvīra-offering, puroḍāśa, and the piling/arrangement
• महावीरपुरोडाशचयनप्रमुखान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महावीर + पुरोडाश + चयन + प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (प्रमुखाः = मुख्याः; महावीर-पुरोडाश-चयन-प्रमुखाः इति)

• तथा: thus; also
• तथा: Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थे (in that manner/also)

• विवादान्: disputes
• विवादान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• चक्रिरे: they made; they carried out
• चक्रिरे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद-रूपम् (चक्रिरे = they did/made)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• स्वम्: one's own
• स्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (own)

• स्वम्: (each) his own
• स्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोगः (each his own)

• पक्षम्: side; faction; position
• पक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समाश्रिताः: having taken refuge in; having adopted
• समाश्रिताः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + श्रि (धातु) → समाश्रित (कृदन्त/भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोगः (having resorted to)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (context); Rūpatīrtha (preceding origin)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇas/śaunakādayaḥ (generic ‘dvijottamāḥ’ audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A night assembly of brāhmaṇas in a yajña-śālā, gesturing in debate over mahāvīra-offering, puroḍāśa, and altar arrangement; ritual implements and fire-altars visible.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāvīra
• Puroḍāśa
• Cayana
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Attachment to one’s own viewpoint can multiply disputes even in sacred work; dharma calls for unity of purpose in worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting remains the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya (Rūpatīrtha-associated narrative).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It references śrauta components—Mahāvīra, Puroḍāśa, and cayana—indicating technical ritual points that became subjects of dispute.