Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

चतुर्णां मुद्गहस्तानां तथान्येषां द्विजन्मनाम् । आद्यऋग्यजुःसाम्नां च प्रगृह्याशीर्वचः परम्

Transliteration

caturṇāṃ mudgahastānāṃ tathānyeṣāṃ dvijanmanām | ādyaṛgyajuḥsāmnāṃ ca pragṛhyāśīrvacaḥ param

Translation

Et de quatre brahmanes dits « mudga-hasta », ainsi que d’autres deux-fois-nés—les plus éminents des lignées du Ṛg-, du Yajur- et du Sāma-Veda—il reçut les paroles de bénédiction suprême.

Word by Word

• चतुर्णाम्: of four
• चतुर्णाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (adjectival)

• मुद्गहस्तानाम्: of the (priests) with hands holding mudga (beans)
• मुद्गहस्तानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्ग + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (mudgānāṃ hastāḥ → mudgahastāḥ)

• तथा: thus/also
• तथा: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अन्येषाम्: of others
• अन्येषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) (contextual), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम-विशेषण (pronominal adjective)

• द्विजन्मनाम्: of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजन्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष (dvija = twice-born)

• आद्य: of the first/primary
• आद्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural) (agreeing with following); विशेषण

• ऋक्: of the Ṛg (Veda)
• ऋक्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋच्/ऋक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural) (as member of list)

• यजुः: of the Yajus (Veda)
• यजुः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural) (as member of list)

• साम्नाम्: of the Sāman (Veda)
• साम्नाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• प्रगृह्य: having taken/accepted
• प्रगृह्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √ग्रह् (ग्रहण) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable participle); ‘having taken/accepted’

• आशीर्वचः: a blessing-word; benediction
• आशीर्वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशीस् + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष (āśīḥ = blessing + vacas = word)

• परम्: supreme/excellent
• परम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying āśīrvacaḥ)

Speaker

Deductive: Skanda (narrating the Tīrthamāhātmya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal household courtyard: four distinctive brāhmaṇas (mudga-hasta) and other twice-born elders of Ṛg/Yajus/Sāman lineages extend hands in blessing; the king receives the benediction with reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛgveda
• Yajurveda
• Sāmaveda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Respect shown to Vedic custodians returns as āśīrvāda (blessing), sustaining both worldly order and spiritual merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the Camatkārapura/Garttā-tīrtha Mahātmya context by depicting the presence and authority of Vedic Brāhmaṇas there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Receiving blessings from qualified Brāhmaṇas of established Vedic traditions is presented as part of proper royal and dharmic conduct.