Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

वसिष्ठस्य मुनेः शिष्यो यज्वा दानपतिः प्रभुः । तेनेष्टं च मखैः सर्वैरग्निष्टोमादिभिः सदा

Transliteration

vasiṣṭhasya muneḥ śiṣyo yajvā dānapatiḥ prabhuḥ | teneṣṭaṃ ca makhaiḥ sarvairagniṣṭomādibhiḥ sadā

Translation

वह मुनि वसिष्ठ का शिष्य था, यज्ञ करने वाला, दान का स्वामी और समर्थ शासक; और वह सदा अग्निष्टोम आदि सभी यज्ञों का अनुष्ठान करता था।

Word by Word

• वसिष्ठस्य: of Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• मुनेः: of the sage
• मुनेः: Sambandha (Appositional genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शिष्यः: disciple
• शिष्यः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यज्वा: sacrificer
• यज्वा: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज् (धातु) → यज्वन् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; यजमानार्थक-शब्दः (one who performs sacrifices)

• दानपतिः: master of charity
• दानपतिः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दानस्य पतिः = lord of gifts)

• प्रभुः: mighty lord
• प्रभुः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• इष्टम्: was sacrificed / was performed
• इष्टम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु) → इष्ट (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘यज्ञः कृतः’ (sacrifice was performed)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मखैः: with sacrifices
• मखैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सर्वैः: with all
• सर्वैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying मखैः)

• अग्निष्टोमादिभिः: with Agniṣṭoma and others
• अग्निष्टोमादिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निष्टोम + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुषार्थे ‘आदि’ (agniṣṭoma etc.)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣayaḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Triśaṅku at a yajña: sacred fire blazing, Vasiṣṭha seated as ācārya, priests chanting; the king offers oblations and gifts, embodying rāja-vaidika devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Triśaṅku
• Vasiṣṭha
• Agniṣṭoma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma honors the integrated path of yajña (sacrificial duty), dāna (charity), and guidance under a realized guru.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is explicitly named; the verse establishes Triśaṅku’s ritual merit as background for the tīrtha-related episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of Vedic sacrifices, explicitly including Agniṣṭoma, along with ongoing commitment to ritual duty.