Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वा महीपृष्ठे अनुलिप्ते ततः परम् । साक्षतान्प्रक्षिपेद्दर्भान्विश्वेदेवान्प्रकीर्तयन्

Transliteration

evamuktvā mahīpṛṣṭhe anulipte tataḥ param | sākṣatānprakṣipeddarbhānviśvedevānprakīrtayan

Translation

ಹೀಗೆ ಹೇಳಿ, ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿ ಲೇಪಿಸಿದ ನೆಲದ ಮೇಲೆ, ನಂತರ ಅಕ್ಷತ ಸಹಿತ ದರ್ಭೆಗಳನ್ನು ಇಡಬೇಕು; ವಿಶ್ವೇದೇವರ ನಾಮಗಳನ್ನು ಕೀರ್ತಿಸುತ್ತಿರಬೇಕು.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of manner)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having done)

• महीपृष्ठे: on the surface of the earth
• महीपृष्ठे: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/Locative); एकवचन; ‘महीपृष्ठ’ = षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (earth’s surface)

• अनुलिप्ते: smeared/spread (over)
• अनुलिप्ते: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु-लिप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; एकवचन; ‘अनुलिप्त’ = smeared/spread over (agreeing with महीपृष्ठे)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Temporal/Sequential)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (then/from that)

• परम्: afterwards
• परम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे प्रयोगः; क्रियाविशेषण (afterwards/next)

• साक्षतान्: unbroken rice grains
• साक्षतान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साक्षत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative); बहुवचन; ‘साक्षत’ = अक्षत (unbroken rice grains)

• प्रक्षिपेत्: should throw/sprinkle
• प्रक्षिपेत्: Kriyā (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दर्भान्: darbha grasses
• दर्भान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• विश्वेदेवान्: the Viśvedevas (all-gods)
• विश्वेदेवान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वे (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन; ‘विश्वेदेव’ = all the gods (class of deities)

• प्रकीर्तयन्: while reciting/proclaiming
• प्रकीर्तयन्: Karta (Agent, concomitant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-कीर्तय् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; कर्तरि (agreeing with implied agent)

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: king (rājendra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A prepared, smeared ritual patch of earth; the performer scatters darbha and akṣata in a deliberate pattern while chanting the Viśvedevā names.

Characters & Entities

• Darbha
• Akṣata
• Viśvedevāḥ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity of place and precision of recitation support sacred action; the rite is performed on consecrated ground with mindful invocation.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The broader context remains Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra; this verse concentrates on the technical ritual setup.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

On a prepared/smeared ground, place darbhas with akṣata while reciting the Viśvedevās.