Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

अग्निष्वात्तादिकान्सर्वान्पितॄनाहूय कृत्स्नशः । विश्वेदेवांस्तथा चैव प्रस्थितः पाकशासनः

Transliteration

agniṣvāttādikānsarvānpitṝnāhūya kṛtsnaśaḥ | viśvedevāṃstathā caiva prasthitaḥ pākaśāsanaḥ

Translation

Ayant convoqué pleinement tous les Pitṛs, à commencer par les Agniṣvāttas, ainsi que les Viśvedevas, Pākaśāsana (Indra) se mit en route.

Word by Word

• अग्निष्वात्तादिकान्: Agniṣvāttas and others
• अग्निष्वात्तादिकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निष्वात्त (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘अग्निष्वात्त-आदि’ = ‘Agniṣvātta and others’

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (Object-Qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (अग्निष्वात्तादिकान्/पितॄन्/विश्वेदेवान्)

• पितॄन्: the Pitṛs (ancestors)
• पितॄन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• आहूय: having summoned
• आहूय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + हु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त), पूर्वकाल; ‘having summoned/called’

• कृत्स्नशः: entirely
• कृत्स्नशः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृत्स्नशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘entirely/altogether’

• विश्वेदेवान्: the Viśvedevas
• विश्वेदेवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वे (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘विश्वे देवाः’ (a class of gods)

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/प्रकार)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयार्थक)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण)

• प्रस्थितः: set out
• प्रस्थितः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (कर्तरि), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘having set out/departed’

• पाकशासनः: Pākaśāsana (Indra)
• पाकशासनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाक (प्रातिपदिक) + शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; इन्द्रस्य उपनाम

Speaker

Narrator (within the Purāṇic dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Camatkārapura

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārthiva (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra, titled Pākaśāsana, ritually summons the Pitṛs (Agniṣvātta class onward) and the Viśvedevas, then begins the journey—an unseen celestial congregation gathers around him.

Characters & Entities

• Agniṣvātta Pitṛs
• Pitṛs
• Viśvedevas
• Pākaśāsana (Indra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha is a cosmic rite involving Pitṛs and deities; proper observance connects human duty with divine order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The rite-context is Gayā-centered, famed for Pitṛ-related ceremonies, though the verse highlights the invoked beings.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Summoning/invoking the Pitṛs (Agniṣvāttas, etc.) and the Viśvedevas as part of the śrāddha framework.