Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

त्वया चेष्टं महायज्ञैः सदा संपूर्णदक्षिणैः । महादानानि दत्तानि पूजिता ब्राह्मणोत्तमाः

Transliteration

tvayā ceṣṭaṃ mahāyajñaiḥ sadā saṃpūrṇadakṣiṇaiḥ | mahādānāni dattāni pūjitā brāhmaṇottamāḥ

Translation

നീ എപ്പോഴും സമ്പൂർണ്ണ ദക്ഷിണയോടെ മഹായജ്ഞങ്ങൾ അനുഷ്ഠിച്ചു; മഹാദാനങ്ങൾ നൽകി, ബ്രാഹ്മണോത്തമന്മാരെ പൂജിച്ച് ആദരിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

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

• इष्टम्: was performed
• इष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु) + इष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘यज्ञः/कर्म’ इत्यर्थे

• महायज्ञैः: with great sacrifices
• महायज्ञैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महान् यज्ञः)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• संपूर्णदक्षिणैः: with complete fees (dakṣiṇās)
• संपूर्णदक्षिणैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संपूर्ण + दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक ‘दक्षिणा’ (बहुवचन-रूपेण), तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (संपूर्णा दक्षिणा यस्य)

• महादानानि: great gifts/charities
• महादानानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महद् दानम्)

• दत्तानि: were given
• दत्तानि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पूजिताः: were honored
• पूजिताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु) + पूजित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ब्राह्मणोत्तमाः: excellent Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणोत्तमाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (उत्तमाः ब्राह्मणाः)

Speaker

Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A righteous patron-king completes a grand yajña: priests seated on kuśa, fire-altar blazing, dakṣiṇā (gold, cows, cloth) being offered; honored brāhmaṇas bless the donor.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma upholds yajña (sacrifice), dāna (charity), and respect for learned brāhmaṇas as pillars of righteous life and enduring merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse praises dharmic acts that often accompany tīrtha culture (dāna and honoring the worthy).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of mahāyajñas with full dakṣiṇā, and giving mahādāna while honoring exemplary brāhmaṇas.