Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

इत्यादिष्टैर्द्विजैर्वेगात्समानीतं नृपाज्ञया । उपलिप्य च भूभागं स्वस्तिकं संनिवेश्य च

Transliteration

ityādiṣṭairdvijairvegātsamānītaṃ nṛpājñayā | upalipya ca bhūbhāgaṃ svastikaṃ saṃniveśya ca

Translation

Ainsi instruits, les deux-fois-nés apportèrent promptement tout selon l’ordre du roi. Ils enduisirent le sol et y disposèrent le signe faste du svastika.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: इत्यादि-निर्देशक-अव्यय (quotative/particle)

• आदिष्टैः: by those who were instructed/commanded
• आदिष्टैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + √दिश् (धातु) → आदिष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘आदिष्ट’ = commanded

• द्विजैः: by the Brahmins
• द्विजैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वेगात्: quickly, with haste
• वेगात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘वेगात्’ = शीघ्रतया

• समानीतम्: brought/collected
• समानीतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + √नी (धातु) → समानीत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘(तत्) समानीतम्’

• नृपाज्ञया: by the king’s order
• नृपाज्ञया: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नृपस्य आज्ञा)

• उपलिप्य: having plastered
• उपलिप्य: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + √लिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), ‘having plastered/smeared’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भूभागम्: the ground area
• भूभागम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भूमेः भागः)

• स्वस्तिकम्: a svastika sign
• स्वस्तिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वस्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संनिवेश्य: having arranged/placed
• संनिवेश्य: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + नि + √विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), ‘having placed/arranged’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Under royal command, dvijas swiftly assemble; they plaster the ritual ground smooth and clean, then set a svastika mark at the center, preparing a sacred arena for the forthcoming ceremony.

Characters & Entities

• nṛpa (king)
• dvija (twice-born)
• svastika

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through cooperation—royal authority supports priestly rites for the welfare of beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vastrāpathakṣetra, depicted as a place where properly prepared ritual space yields sacred results.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Purifying/plastering the ritual ground and placing a svastika as an auspicious arrangement.