Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

यत्र यत्र भवेद्यज्ञः सत्रं ऽप्युत्सवोऽथवा । तत्र गत्वा निशायोगे प्रकुर्वंति जनक्षयम्

Transliteration

yatra yatra bhavedyajñaḥ satraṃ 'pyutsavo'thavā | tatra gatvā niśāyoge prakurvaṃti janakṣayam

Translation

ಎಲ್ಲಿ ಎಲ್ಲಿ ಯಜ್ಞ, ಸತ್ರ ಅಥವಾ ಉತ್ಸವ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತದೋ, ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಅವರು ರಾತ್ರಿಸಂಧಿಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಹೋಗಿ ಜನಕ್ಷಯವನ್ನು ಮಾಡುತ್ತಾರೆ.

Word by Word

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश-वाचक (relative adverb: where)

• यत्र: wherever
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

• भवेत्: may occur, happens
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यज्ञः: a sacrifice
• यज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• सत्रम्: a sacrificial session (satra)
• सत्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समुच्चय-रूपे)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also/even)

• उत्सवः: a festival
• उत्सवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्सव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive: or)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश-वाचक (there)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकाले कृत्य

• निशायोगे: at the time of night
• निशायोगे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (निशायाः योगः/समयः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• प्रकुर्वन्ति: they cause, they carry out
• प्रकुर्वन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• जनक्षयम्: destruction of people
• जनक्षयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (जनानां क्षयः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced from Purāṇic māhātmya narration style within Nāgarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brightly lit yajña pavilion with fire-altars and festive banners; at the night’s junction, attackers arrive and chaos erupts among celebrants and priests.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even sacred gatherings like yajñas and festivals must be protected by dharma; when adharma intrudes, violence can arise precisely where holiness should prevail.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse speaks generally about pilgrimage-like religious gatherings (yajña/satra/utsava) and does not name a specific tīrtha in the shloka itself.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No positive prescription (snāna, dāna, japa, vrata) is stated here; the verse functions as a cautionary description tied to yajña/satra/utsava contexts and the timing of niśā-yoga (night-junction).