Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

प्रथमा बह्वृचस्यार्थे याजुषस्य तथाऽपरा । सामगस्य तथैवान्या तथाऽद्यस्य चतुर्थिका

Transliteration

prathamā bahvṛcasyārthe yājuṣasya tathā'parā | sāmagasya tathaivānyā tathā'dyasya caturthikā

Translation

La première estrade est destinée au prêtre Bahvṛca (du Ṛgveda) ; la suivante, au prêtre Yājuṣa (du Yajurveda) ; une autre, de même, au prêtre Sāmaga (du Sāmaveda) ; et la quatrième, au prêtre Atharvan (de l’Atharvaveda).

Word by Word

• प्रथमा: the first (platform)
• प्रथमा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रथमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; (पीठिका-विशेषः)

• बह्वृचस्य: of the Bahvṛca (Ṛgvedic)
• बह्वृचस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बह्वृच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ऋग्वेद-शाखा/ऋक्-पाठक-सम्बन्धः

• अर्थे: for (the purpose of)
• अर्थे: Adhikarana (Purpose sphere/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; प्रयोजन/विषयार्थे (for the sake of/for)

• याजुषस्य: of the Yājuṣa (Yajurvedic)
• याजुषस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याजुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; यजुर्वेद-सम्बन्धः

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Connector/Adverbial (प्रकार/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थे ‘likewise/so’

• अपरा: the second/another
• अपरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (द्वितीया पीठिका)

• सामगस्य: of the Sāmaga (Sāmavedic)
• सामगस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सामवेद-सम्बन्धः

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Connector/Adverbial (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, ‘likewise’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphasis)

• अन्या: another (third)
• अन्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (तृतीया पीठिका)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Connector/Adverbial (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, ‘likewise’

• अद्यस्य: of the Ādya (fourth)
• अद्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; पाठभेदे ‘अथर्व’/‘आद्य’ इत्यर्थ-सम्भावना; अत्र चतुर्थ-सम्बन्धः (of the fourth/Ādya)

• चतुर्थिका: the fourth (platform)
• चतुर्थिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (चतुर्थी पीठिका)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Garttā-tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four platforms each attended by a distinct priest: Ṛgveda reciter with manuscript, Yajurveda priest with ladle and procedural focus, Sāmaveda singer with vīṇā/chant posture, Atharvaveda priest with protective implements; all coordinated before the central ācārya.

Characters & Entities

• Bahvṛca (Ṛgveda)
• Yājuṣa (Yajurveda)
• Sāmaga (Sāmaveda)
• Atharvan (Atharvaveda)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic tīrtha-worship is shown as harmonizing all four Vedic streams, honoring each with its proper place.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ritual arrangement belongs to the chapter’s Garttā-tīrtha observance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Assign four platforms respectively to Ṛg, Yajur, Sāma, and Atharva officiants.