Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

यथावह्नौ तथा तोये मन्त्रवत्तद्भवंशुभम् । हूयते संविधानेनयज्ञपात्रैः सम न्वितम्

Transliteration

yathāvahnau tathā toye mantravattadbhavaṃśubham | hūyate saṃvidhānenayajñapātraiḥ sama nvitam

Translation

അഗ്നിയിൽ ആഹുതി അർപ്പിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ, ജലത്തിലും—മന്ത്രസഹിതമായി—ആ മംഗളദ്രവ്യം വിധിപൂർവ്വം, ക്രമാനുസാരമായി, നിശ്ചിത യജ്ഞപാത്രങ്ങളോടുകൂടി ഒഴുക്കി അർപ്പിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (as, just as)

• वह्नौ: in the fire
• वह्नौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन (Loc. sg.)

• तथा: so, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनुरूपवाचक (so, likewise)

• तोये: in the water
• तोये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: toya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन (Loc. sg.)

• मन्त्रवत्: with mantras, accompanied by mantras
• मन्त्रवत्: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mantra + vat (प्रातिपदिक/तद्धित)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्त; अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: with mantras)

• तद्भवम्: arising from that (rite)
• तद्भवम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad + bhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (tasmāt bhavam = arising from that)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषणं (of offering/oblation)

• हूयते: is offered (into)
• हूयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hu (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive: is offered)

• संविधानेन: by the prescribed procedure
• संविधानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃvidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन (Instr. sg.)

• यज्ञपात्रैः: with sacrificial vessels
• यज्ञपात्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña + pātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (Instr. pl.); तत्पुरुषः (yajñasya pātrāṇi)

• समन्वितम्: endowed/combined (with them)
• समन्वितम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam + anu + i (धातु) → samanvita (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषणं (endowed/combined)

Speaker

Pulastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Priests pour a sanctified offering into a rippling waterbody using prescribed vessels, chanting mantras; the composition mirrors a fire-homa scene, but the ‘altar’ is water, glowing with sacred presence.

Characters & Entities

• Oblation (homa/āhuti)
• Toya (water)
• Vahni (fire)
• Mantra
• Yajña-pātra (vessels)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred can be approached through multiple sanctified media (fire or water) when mantra and correct procedure are maintained.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse highlights a water-rite consistent with tīrtha practice; the sanctity rests in the consecrated waters used for the ritual.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Mantra-accompanied offerings into water, performed in correct order with proper yajña vessels.