Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

ये विप्रास्तु बलिं दद्युर्वैश्वदेवांत आगते । न तेषामन्वये चापि त्वया सेव्योऽत्र कश्चन

Transliteration

ye viprāstu baliṃ dadyurvaiśvadevāṃta āgate | na teṣāmanvaye cāpi tvayā sevyo'tra kaścana

Translation

“വൈശ്വദേവത്തിന്റെ അവസാനം ബലി അർപ്പിക്കുന്ന വിപ്രന്മാർക്ക്—അവരുടെ വംശത്തിൽ ആര്ക്കും—ഇവിടെ നിന്നാൽ നിന്റെ ഉപദ്രവമോ ബാധയോ ഉണ്ടാകരുത്।”

Word by Word

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• विप्राः: brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ये इति समानाधिकरण

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/contrast)

• बलिम्: bali offering
• बलिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दद्युः: should give
• दद्युः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• वैश्वदेव-अन्ते: at the end of Vaiśvadeva
• वैश्वदेव-अन्ते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśvadeva + anta (प्रातिपदिक; वैश्वदेवान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• आगते: when (it) has arrived
• आगते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle) प्रयुक्तं सप्तमी-सम्बन्धे; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; (वैश्वदेवान्ते आगते = when it has come)

• न: not
• न: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• अन्वये: in the lineage
• अन्वये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anvaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-कार (also/even)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सेव्यः: to be served/associated with
• सेव्यः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Gerundive: ‘to be served’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• कश्चन: anyone (at all)
• कश्चन: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaścit (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (indefinite pronoun)

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced from surrounding Brahmā–Yakṣma dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yakṣma/afflicting being (implied addressee) and brāhmaṇas (beneficiaries)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stern yet benevolent decree: the afflicting being is restrained from approaching those brāhmaṇas who perform bali correctly; visual contrast between protected householders and a subdued, distant spirit/entity.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Vipra (brāhmaṇa)
• Vaiśvadeva
• Bali
• Yakṣma (implied as the addressed being)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Daily dharmic rites generate protective merit that extends beyond the individual to the family line.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Yakṣma-tīrtha within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya (Nāgara Khaṇḍa) is the implied sacred setting of protection.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering bali at the completion of the Vaiśvadeva rite is stated as the key practice linked with freedom from Yakṣma’s harmful influence.