Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

ततः स चानयामास नागरान्ब्राह्मणोत्तमान् । चातुश्चरणसंपन्नाञ्छ्रुतिस्मृति समन्वितान्

Transliteration

tataḥ sa cānayāmāsa nāgarānbrāhmaṇottamān | cātuścaraṇasaṃpannāñchrutismṛti samanvitān

Translation

അനന്തരം അവൻ നഗരത്തിലെ ശ്രേഷ്ഠ ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാരെ വിളിച്ചു വരുത്തി—ചതുര്വിധ ഗുണസമ്പന്നരും ശ്രുതി‑സ്മൃതി നിഷ്ഠരുമായവരെ।

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थे ‘तस्मात्/अनन्तरम्’ (thereafter/from that)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक-संबन्ध/ conjunction)

• आनयामास: brought (led here)
• आनयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-नी (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; √नी ‘to lead/bring’ with उपसर्ग आ-

• नागरान्: Nāgara people (citizens)
• नागरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• ब्राह्मणोत्तमान्: excellent Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणोत्तमान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/विशेष्य-विशेषणभावः: ‘ब्राह्मणानां उत्तमाः’ (best among Brahmins)

• चातुश्चरणसंपन्नान्: endowed with the four ‘pādas’
• चातुश्चरणसंपन्नान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुः (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + चरण (प्रातिपदिक) + संपन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण; ‘चातुः-चरण’ (four-footed/with four quarters) + ‘संपन्न’ (endowed)

• श्रुतिस्मृति-समन्वितान्: versed in śruti and smṛti
• श्रुतिस्मृति-समन्वितान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण; द्वन्द्व-समाहार ‘श्रुति-स्मृति’ + तत्पुरुष ‘समन्वित’ = ‘endowed with śruti and smṛti’

Speaker

Sūta (narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dignified brāhmaṇa patron/ācārya summons city brāhmaṇas—elderly śrotriyas with yajñopavīta, kamaṇḍalu, and palm-leaf manuscripts—gathering in a courtyard near a nascent tīrtha site.

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇa
• śruti
• smṛti
• nāgara (city-dwellers)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld by honoring genuine learning and inviting those established in Śruti and Smṛti to guide sacred acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative remains within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya frame of Nāgara Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse highlights the dharmic practice of formally inviting qualified brāhmaṇas for yajña-related proceedings.