Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 89

Devanagari script

नान्यस्थानसमुद्भूतैश्चतुर्वेदैरपि द्विजैः । भर्तृयज्ञेन मर्यादा कृता ह्येषा महा त्मना

Transliteration

nānyasthānasamudbhūtaiścaturvedairapi dvijaiḥ | bhartṛyajñena maryādā kṛtā hyeṣā mahā tmanā

Translation

Même des brāhmanes dvija, maîtres des quatre Veda mais nés ailleurs, ne doivent pas l’accomplir. Cette règle de frontière rituelle fut instituée par le magnanime Bhartṛyajña.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अन्यस्थानसमुद्भूतैः: by those arisen from other places
• अन्यस्थानसमुद्भूतैः: Karana/Agent (करण/कर्तृ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya + sthāna + samudbhūta (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

• चतुर्वेदैः: (as) knowers of the four Vedas
• चतुर्वेदैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur + veda (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

• अपि: even
• अपि: Modifier (विशेषक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), ‘even/also’

• द्विजैः: by brāhmaṇas (twice-born)
• द्विजैः: Karana/Agent (करण/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• भर्तृयज्ञेन: by the Bhartṛ-yajña (rite)
• भर्तृयज्ञेन: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause/करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ + yajña (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• मर्यादा: boundary/rule/limit
• मर्यादा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maryādā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कृता: was made/established
• कृता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → kṛta (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Discourse marker (वाक्योपपादक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चय (indeed/for)

• एषा: this
• एषा: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• महात्मना: by the great-souled one
• महात्मना: Karana/Agent-in-passive (करण/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Viśvāmitra (to the King)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahārāja (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bhartṛyajña, depicted as a venerable mahātman, draws a symbolic boundary line around the sacred precinct (maryādā), while learned brāhmaṇas from elsewhere stand respectfully outside; Viśvāmitra narrates to the king, emphasizing the prohibition.

Characters & Entities

• Bhartṛyajña
• Caturveda-dvija (four-Veda brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In tīrtha-dharma, local sacred ordinances (maryādā) can define proper ritual conduct beyond mere scholastic attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s tīrtha-setting is assumed; this verse emphasizes the authority of a locally instituted maryādā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

For these rites, brāhmaṇas from other regions are disallowed even if they are caturvedins; the rule is attributed to Bhartṛyajña.