Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

नृत्यंति पितरस्तस्य गर्जंति च पितामहाः । वेदिमूले समालोक्य प्राप्तमष्टकुलं नृप

Transliteration

nṛtyaṃti pitarastasya garjaṃti ca pitāmahāḥ | vedimūle samālokya prāptamaṣṭakulaṃ nṛpa

Translation

ഹേ നൃപാ, വേദിയുടെ മൂലത്തിൽ അഷ്ടകുലോദ്ഭവ ബ്രാഹ്മണന്റെ വരവ് കണ്ടാൽ അവന്റെ പിതൃകൾ നൃത്തം ചെയ്യുന്നു; പിതാമഹന്മാർ ആനന്ദത്തോടെ ഗർജ്ജിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• नृत्यन्ति: dance
• नृत्यन्ति: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• पितरः: the fathers/ancestors
• पितरः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; षष्ठी एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• गर्जन्ति: roar
• गर्जन्ति: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• पितामहाः: grandfathers
• पितामहाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

• वेदिमूले: at the base of the altar
• वेदिमूले: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदी (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वेद्याः मूलम्)

• समालोक्य: having seen
• समालोक्य: Kriyā (Pūrvakāla-kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आलोक् (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having seen)

• प्राप्तम्: arrived/obtained
• प्राप्तम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु) + क्त (प्राप्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थे (as “obtained/arrived”)

• अष्टकुलम्: the group of eight families
• अष्टकुलम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (अष्टानां कुलानां समाहारः)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन एकवचन

Speaker

Viśvāmitra (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (nṛpa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the base of a Vedic altar, an Aṣṭakula brāhmaṇa arrives; invisible pitṛs are depicted as ethereal figures dancing above/around the vedi while grandfathers roar in joy; the king witnesses in wonder.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Pitāmahas
• Vedi
• Aṣṭakula/Aṣṭakulika

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ancestral rites bear fruit when performed rightly; the ancestors are depicted as visibly pleased when proper ritual conditions and worthy officiants are present.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse emphasizes ritual efficacy within a tīrtha setting but does not identify a named pilgrimage site in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

For śrāddha/yajña contexts, ensure the presence/appointment of an Aṣṭakula Brāhmaṇa at the vedi (altar) to secure ancestral satisfaction.