Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

संत्यक्तान्यग्निहोत्राणि ब्राह्मणैर्याजकैरपि । व्रतानि व्रतिभिर्दांतैरपि वृद्धतमैर्द्विजाः

Transliteration

saṃtyaktānyagnihotrāṇi brāhmaṇairyājakairapi | vratāni vratibhirdāṃtairapi vṛddhatamairdvijāḥ

Translation

Même les brāhmanes qui officiaient comme prêtres abandonnèrent les rites de l’Agnihotra ; même les gardiens de vœux, pourtant disciplinés—oui, même les plus âgés des deux-fois-nés—renoncèrent à leurs observances.

Word by Word

• संत्यक्तानि: abandoned
• संत्यक्तानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + त्यज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अग्निहोत्राणि: Agnihotra rites
• अग्निहोत्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि + होत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ब्राह्मणैः: by Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• याजकैः: by priests (sacrificers)
• याजकैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याजक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-निपात (particle: ‘also/even’)

• व्रतानि: vows
• व्रतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन (Plural)

• व्रतिभिः: by vow-observers/ascetics
• व्रतिभिः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• दान्तैः: self-controlled
• दान्तैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान्त (प्रातिपदिक; दम्-धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-निपात

• वृद्धतमैः: by the very oldest
• वृद्धतमैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्धतम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); अतिशय-तमा-प्रत्यय (superlative)

• द्विजाः: twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣayaḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A deserted yajña-śālā: cold fire altar, unused ladles, silent priests with lowered heads; elderly dvijas removing or setting aside vrata marks, conveying resignation and sorrow.

Characters & Entities

• Agnihotra
• Brāhmaṇa
• Yājaka
• Vrata
• Dvija

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When basic support systems fail, even established ritual life can collapse—hence the Purāṇas praise tīrthas and dhārmic remedies as restoratives.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of the lead-up to the Saptarṣi-tīrtha account; the site is the chapter’s focal tīrtha though not named here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Agnihotra and vrata are referenced as abandoned practices; the verse functions as warning and context rather than instruction.