Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

प्रासादस्योत्तरे देशे प्राच्ये देशे तथा द्विजाः । यज्ञक्रियासमारंभांश्चकुर्विप्रैर्यथोदितान्

Transliteration

prāsādasyottare deśe prācye deśe tathā dvijāḥ | yajñakriyāsamāraṃbhāṃścakurviprairyathoditān

Translation

Au nord du temple, et de même à l’est, les « deux‑fois‑nés » entreprirent les rites du yajña, selon ce qu’avaient prescrit les brāhmanes.

Word by Word

• प्रासादस्य: of the palace/temple
• प्रासादस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; genitive singular (m.)

• उत्तरे: in the northern
• उत्तरे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective used substantively with देशे; locative singular (m.)

• देशे: region/place
• देशे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; locative singular (m.)

• प्राच्ये: in the eastern
• प्राच्ये: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राच्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective used substantively with देशे; locative singular (m.)

• देशे: region/place
• देशे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; locative singular (m.)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha-bodhaka (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction/adverb 'also/likewise'

• द्विजाः: brāhmaṇas
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; nominative plural (m.)

• यज्ञ-क्रिया-समारम्भान्: beginnings/commencements of sacrificial rites
• यज्ञ-क्रिया-समारम्भान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक) + समारम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (यज्ञस्य क्रिया; तस्य समारम्भाः) accusative plural (m.)

• चक्रुः: they performed
• चक्रुः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; they did/performed

• विप्रैः: by/with brāhmaṇas
• विप्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; instrumental plural (m.)

• यथा: as/according to
• यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; manner-comparative 'as/according to'

• उदितान्: as prescribed/said
• उदितान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वद् (धातु) → उदित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; agreeing with समारम्भान्; 'as stated'

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahāsena-kṣetra (prāsāda-parisara)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In the temple’s northern and eastern grounds, brāhmaṇas arrange altars; fires are kindled; ṛtvijas chant; offerings are prepared in orderly rows beside the grand prāsāda.

Characters & Entities

• prasāda (temple)
• dvija
• vipra
• yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is completed by right practice—sacred geography is paired with Vedic discipline and authorized ritual performance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ritual zones around the Mahāsena prāsāda within the Chapter 75 sacred city/kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Commencing yajña-kriyā (sacrificial rites) in designated temple-adjacent directions, following brāhmaṇical injunctions.