Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

नृत्यंति पितरस्तस्य गर्जंति च पितामहाः । वेदिमूले समालोक्य प्राप्तमष्टकुलं नृप

Transliteration

nṛtyaṃti pitarastasya garjaṃti ca pitāmahāḥ | vedimūle samālokya prāptamaṣṭakulaṃ nṛpa

Translation

Wahai raja, ketika di pangkal altar mereka menyaksikan kedatangan seorang Brāhmaṇa Aṣṭakula, para Pitṛ menari dan para kakek leluhur bersorak menggelegar karena sukacita baginya.

Word by Word

• नृत्यन्ति: dance
• नृत्यन्ति: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• पितरः: the fathers/ancestors
• पितरः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; षष्ठी एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• गर्जन्ति: roar
• गर्जन्ति: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• पितामहाः: grandfathers
• पितामहाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

• वेदिमूले: at the base of the altar
• वेदिमूले: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदी (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वेद्याः मूलम्)

• समालोक्य: having seen
• समालोक्य: Kriyā (Pūrvakāla-kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आलोक् (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having seen)

• प्राप्तम्: arrived/obtained
• प्राप्तम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु) + क्त (प्राप्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थे (as “obtained/arrived”)

• अष्टकुलम्: the group of eight families
• अष्टकुलम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (अष्टानां कुलानां समाहारः)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन एकवचन

Speaker

Viśvāmitra (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (nṛpa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the base of a Vedic altar, an Aṣṭakula brāhmaṇa arrives; invisible pitṛs are depicted as ethereal figures dancing above/around the vedi while grandfathers roar in joy; the king witnesses in wonder.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Pitāmahas
• Vedi
• Aṣṭakula/Aṣṭakulika

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ancestral rites bear fruit when performed rightly; the ancestors are depicted as visibly pleased when proper ritual conditions and worthy officiants are present.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse emphasizes ritual efficacy within a tīrtha setting but does not identify a named pilgrimage site in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

For śrāddha/yajña contexts, ensure the presence/appointment of an Aṣṭakula Brāhmaṇa at the vedi (altar) to secure ancestral satisfaction.