Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

सिद्धिबीजं महासत्त्वं क्रतौ क्रतुनियोजितम्

Transliteration

siddhibījaṃ mahāsattvaṃ kratau kratuniyojitam

Translation

Ceci est la semence de l’accomplissement (siddhi), douée d’une grande puissance spirituelle ; dans le sacrifice (yajña), elle doit être employée et placée à sa juste place dans le rite.

Word by Word

• सिद्धिबीजम्: seed of accomplishment
• सिद्धिबीजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि + बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सिद्धेः/सिद्धेः हेतु: सिद्धिबीजम्)

• महासत्त्वम्: great essence/being
• महासत्त्वम्: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः; विधेय/विशेष्यभावे

• क्रतौ: in a sacrifice/rite
• क्रतौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• क्रतुनियोजितम्: appointed/used in the rite
• क्रतुनियोजितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रतु + नियोजित (कृदन्त, क्त); नि+युज् (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘क्रतौ नियोजितम्/क्रतुना नियोजितम्’ (contextual)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fire-altar scene: the bīja of siddhi is visualized as a small radiant glyph being placed into the yajña-fire at the correct moment; priests align ladles and offerings in precise order; a calm sattvic glow pervades.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Accomplishment is tied to right ritual order: potency bears fruit when integrated into dhārmic rite with proper placement and intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this short verse; it is a general ritual instruction within a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It prescribes the siddhi-bīja as to be appointed (niyojita) within the sacrifice (kratu), i.e., used in its correct ritual context.