Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

युग्मांश्च ऋत्विजः कार्याश्चतुर्दिक्षु यथाक्रमम् । बह्वृचोऽध्वर्यश्चैव च्छंदोगाथर्वणावपि

Transliteration

yugmāṃśca ṛtvijaḥ kāryāścaturdikṣu yathākramam | bahvṛco'dhvaryaścaiva cchaṃdogātharvaṇāvapi

Translation

Qu’on établisse, par paires, les prêtres officiants aux quatre directions, selon l’ordre prescrit : les Bahvṛca (prêtres du Ṛg-Véda), les Adhvaryu (du Yajur-Véda), ainsi que les Chāndoga et les Atharvaṇa.

Word by Word

• yugmān: in pairs
• yugmān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yugma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• ṛtvijaḥ: priests (ṛtviks)
• ṛtvijaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛtvij (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• kāryāḥ: should be appointed/made
• kāryāḥ: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicative qualifier/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kṛ + ya (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषण; कृत्य-प्रत्यय (यत्/ण्यत्) ‘to be done/appointed’

• caturdikṣu: in the four directions
• caturdikṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur + diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; द्विगुसमास

• yathākramam: in due order
• yathākramam: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā + krama (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• bahvṛcaḥ: Ṛgvedic priests (bahvṛcas)
• bahvṛcaḥ: Karta (Appositional/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bahvṛc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• adhvaryaḥ: Adhvaryu priests
• adhvaryaḥ: Karta (Appositional/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhvaryu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

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

• chandogātharvaṇau: the Chāndoga and Atharvaṇa (priests)
• chandogātharvaṇau: Karta (Appositional/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: chandoga + ātharvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक अव्यय (also)

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four directions each hosting a pair of priests: Ṛg-vedic hotṛs (Bahvṛca), Yajur-vedic Adhvaryus, Sāma-vedic Chāndogas (udgātṛ-like), and Atharvaṇas (brahmā-like supervisory role), seated with their implements around the central altar.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Major rites are communal and tradition-rooted; the fourfold Vedic expertise is honored as the supporting structure of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction is procedural for a tīrtha-performed rite; the site is not named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Appoint paired priests in four directions, representing Ṛg, Yajur, Sāma, and Atharva traditions.