Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

विश्वामित्र उवाच । तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ब्राह्मणानां नृपोत्तम । अब्रवीद्भर्तृयज्ञस्तु स्वाभिप्रायं सुसंमतम्

Transliteration

viśvāmitra uvāca | teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā brāhmaṇānāṃ nṛpottama | abravīdbhartṛyajñastu svābhiprāyaṃ susaṃmatam

Translation

ವಿಶ್ವಾಮಿತ್ರನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಹೇ ನೃಪೋತ್ತಮ, ಆ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣರ ವಚನವನ್ನು ಕೇಳಿ ಭರ್ತೃಯಜ್ಞನು ತನ್ನ ಸುಸಮ್ಮತ ಅಭಿಪ್ರಾಯವನ್ನು ಪ್ರಕಟಿಸಿದನು।

Word by Word

• विश्वामित्रः: Viśvāmitra
• विश्वामित्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वामित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st, Nominative), एकवचन; समास: विश्व + मित्र (name)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th, Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd, Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• वचनम्: statement / words
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd, Accusative), एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th, Genitive), बहुवचन

• नृपोत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपोत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समास: नृप + उत्तम (best of kings)

• अब्रवीत्: said / spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भर्तृयज्ञः: Bhartṛyajña
• भर्तृयज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृयज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st, Nominative), एकवचन; समास: भर्तृ + यज्ञ (proper name)

• तु: but / indeed
• तु: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ (contrast/emphasis)

• स्वाभिप्रायम्: his own intention
• स्वाभिप्रायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + अभिप्राय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd, Accusative), एकवचन; समास: स्व + अभिप्राय (one's own intention)

• सुसंमतम्: well-approved / agreeable
• सुसंमतम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + सम्मत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd, Accusative), एकवचन; समास: सु + संमत (well-approved); विशेषण (qualifying स्वाभिप्रायम्)

Speaker

Viśvāmitra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpottama (the king addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viśvāmitra narrates; a king listens as brāhmaṇas stand nearby; Bhartṛyajña prepares to speak, indicating a shift from hearing to proclamation.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Bhartṛyajña
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is clarified through respectful dialogue: after hearing the learned, one should speak only what is well-considered and aligned with righteous intent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse sets the narrative frame; the specific tīrtha becomes explicit in the following verses (notably the mention of Gartā-tīrtha).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed in this verse; it introduces Bhartṛyajña’s forthcoming guidance on śuddhi (purificatory authorization).