Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

आग्नीध्रोऽभूच्छुनःशेपः पोता जातश्च पावकः । उद्गाता वायुरभवत्प्रस्तोता च परेतराट्

Transliteration

āgnīdhro'bhūcchunaḥśepaḥ potā jātaśca pāvakaḥ | udgātā vāyurabhavatprastotā ca paretarāṭ

Translation

ശുനഃശേപൻ ആഗ്നീധ്രനായി, പാവകൻ പോതൃയായി സേവിച്ചു; വായു ഉദ്ഗാതാവായി, പരേതരാട് പ്രസ്തോതാവായി.

Word by Word

• आग्नीध्रः: the Agnīdh priest
• आग्नीध्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आग्नीध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ऋत्विक्-विशेषः (agnīdh priest)

• अभूत्: was/became
• अभूत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• शुनःशेपः: Śunaḥśepa
• शुनःशेपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुनःशेप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पोता: the Potā priest
• पोता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पोतृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ऋत्विक्-विशेषः (potṛ priest)

• जातः: born/appeared (as)
• जातः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• पावकः: Pāvaka (Agni)
• पावकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उद्गाता: the Udgātā priest
• उद्गाता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्गातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ऋत्विक्-विशेषः (udgātṛ priest)

• वायुः: Vāyu (Wind)
• वायुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• प्रस्तोता: the Prastotā priest
• प्रस्तोता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्तोतृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ऋत्विक्-विशेषः (prastotṛ priest)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• परेतराट्: Paretarāṭ (a proper name)
• परेतराट्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परेतराज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; -राज्-प्रत्ययान्त (ending in -rāj)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Within the yajña enclosure: Śunaḥśepa tends the fire as Āgnīdhra; Pāvaka as Potṛ holds ladle and water-pot; Vāyu as Udgātṛ is shown as a wind-deity with flowing scarf; Paretarāṭ as Prastotṛ begins the sāman prelude.

Characters & Entities

• Śunaḥśepa
• Pāvaka (Agni)
• Vāyu
• Paretarāṭ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Yajña integrates fire, breath, and mantra—harmonizing cosmic powers through disciplined liturgy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu is the sacred setting; the verse continues describing the sanctified Māheśvara sacrifice performed there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Filling the offices linked to fire-management and Sāmavedic chanting: Āgnīdhra, Potṛ, Udgātṛ, and Prastotṛ.