Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

श्राद्धार्थं संपरिज्ञाय मन्त्रं चक्रुः परस्परम् । आदित्या वसवो रुद्रा नासत्यावपि पार्थिव

Transliteration

śrāddhārthaṃ saṃparijñāya mantraṃ cakruḥ parasparam | ādityā vasavo rudrā nāsatyāvapi pārthiva

Translation

Ayant compris le but du Śrāddha, ils élaborèrent entre eux un mantra—ô roi—les Āditya, les Vasu, les Rudra, ainsi que les deux Nāsatya (Aśvin).

Word by Word

• श्राद्धार्थम्: for the purpose of śrāddha
• श्राद्धार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; श्राद्ध + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुष (श्राद्धाय अर्थः = for the purpose of śrāddha)

• सम्परिज्ञाय: having fully understood
• सम्परिज्ञाय: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+परि+√ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)

• मन्त्रम्: a mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन

• चक्रुः: they made / composed
• चक्रुः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• परस्परम्: mutually, among themselves
• परस्परम्: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्परम् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण (reciprocal adverb: mutually)

• आदित्याः: the Ādityas
• आदित्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• वसवः: the Vasus
• वसवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• रुद्राः: the Rudras
• रुद्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• नासत्यौ: the two Nāsatyas (Aśvins)
• नासत्यौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नासत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), द्विवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक (particle: also/even)

• पार्थिव: O king
• पार्थिव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (addressing a king/listener within the frame narrative)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārthiva (the king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine council of Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, and the twin Aśvins confers and composes a mantra; below, a king listens as the narrator explains the origin of the mantra for śrāddha.

Characters & Entities

• Ādityas
• Vasus
• Rudras
• Nāsatyas (Aśvins)
• Śrāddha
• Mantra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha is presented as a sanctioned rite with divine acknowledgment, framed through the Devas’ collective decision.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative belongs to Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya (Gajacchāyā-māhātmya) within Nāgara Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The origin/establishment of a mantra connected to Śrāddha performance.