Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

ऋग्यजुःसामसंज्ञाख्या अग्निष्टोमादिका मखाः । पारत्रिकाः प्रवर्तंते नैहिकाश्चाभिचारिकाः

Transliteration

ṛgyajuḥsāmasaṃjñākhyā agniṣṭomādikā makhāḥ | pāratrikāḥ pravartaṃte naihikāścābhicārikāḥ

Translation

ഋഗ്, യജുഃ, സാമ എന്ന നാമങ്ങളാൽ അറിയപ്പെടുന്ന അഗ്നിഷ്ടോമാദി യാഗങ്ങൾ പരലോകഫലത്തിനായി പ്രവൃത്തിക്കുന്നു; ചിലത് ഇഹലോകഫലത്തിനായും, അഭിചാര-പ്രതികാരാദി ക്രിയകളോടുകൂടിയും നടക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• ऋक्: Ṛg (Rigveda)
• ऋक्: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• यजुः: Yajus (Yajurveda)
• यजुः: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• साम: Sāman (Samaveda)
• साम: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• संज्ञा: designation/name
• संज्ञा: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• आख्याः: called; named
• आख्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• अग्निष्टोमादिकाः: such as Agniṣṭoma and others
• अग्निष्टोमादिकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्निष्टोम (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + क (तद्धित)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (अग्निष्टोमः आदिः येषाम्/यत्र), तद्धितान्त -क (having/pertaining to etc.), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• मखाः: sacrifices
• मखाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• पारत्रिकाः: other-worldly; for the next world
• पारत्रिकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पारत्रिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• प्रवर्तन्ते: proceed; take place
• प्रवर्तन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural), आत्मनेपद

• नैहिकाः: worldly; pertaining to this world
• नैहिकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नैहिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अभिचारिकाः: pertaining to sorcery/black rites
• अभिचारिकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिचारिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas (dvijāḥ)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A schematic teaching scene: the three Vedic streams (Ṛg, Yajus, Sāman) are symbolized as three fires/altars; Agniṣṭoma is depicted as a grand soma-yajña leading upward (pāratrika), while a separate darker corner hints at ābhicārika rites for worldly ends.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛgveda
• Yajurveda
• Sāmaveda
• Agniṣṭoma
• Abhicāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rituals differ by aim—some elevate toward the beyond, while others address worldly needs; discernment of purpose is essential.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it is part of the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra-māhātmya discourse context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Agniṣṭoma and related Vedic makhas are referenced as ritual categories, distinguished by otherworldly (pāratrika) and worldly (naihika) aims.