Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

शकृत्स्था वसवः सर्वे साध्या मूत्रस्थितास्तव । सर्वे यज्ञा ह्यस्थिदेशे किन्नरा गुह्यसंस्थिताः

Transliteration

śakṛtsthā vasavaḥ sarve sādhyā mūtrasthitāstava | sarve yajñā hyasthideśe kinnarā guhyasaṃsthitāḥ

Translation

നിന്റെ ശകൃത്ഭാഗത്തിൽ സർവ്വ വസുക്കളും അധിവസിക്കുന്നു; നിന്റെ മൂത്രത്തിൽ സാധ്യന്മാർ സ്ഥാപിതരാണ്. നിന്റെ അസ്ഥിദേശത്തിൽ സർവ്വ യജ്ഞങ്ങളും നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു; നിന്റെ ഗുഹ്യഭാഗത്തിൽ കിന്നരന്മാർ വസിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• शकृत्स्थाः: located in feces
• शकृत्स्थाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शकृत् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त; √स्था)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘शकृति स्थिताः’

• वसवः: the Vasus
• वसवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• साध्याः: the Sādhyas
• साध्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• मूत्रस्थिताः: situated in urine
• मूत्रस्थिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थित (कृदन्त; √स्था + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘मूत्रे स्थिताः’

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• यज्ञाः: sacrifices
• यज्ञाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/हेतौ (indeed/for)

• अस्थिदेशे: in the region of the bones
• अस्थिदेशे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक) + देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘अस्थ्नां देशे’

• किन्नराः: Kinnaras
• किन्नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किन्नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• गुह्यसंस्थिताः: situated in the private parts
• गुह्यसंस्थिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थित (कृदन्त; √स्था + सम् उपसर्ग + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘गुह्ये संस्थिताः’ (in the secret parts)

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual stuti within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya; likely a devotee/sage praising Devī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic form where even the lowest bodily functions are shown as luminous abodes of deities: Vasus as radiant sparks near the hindquarters, Sādhyas as subtle beings near flowing waters, yajña-symbols (altars, ladles) embedded like bone-patterns, Kinnaras hidden in veiled, symbolic motifs—handled with reverent abstraction.

Characters & Entities

• Vasus
• Sādhyas
• Yajñas
• Kinnaras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Nothing is outside the sacred order: even what seems impure is integrated into the divine cosmos, urging reverence and dharmic vision.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is directly named; the verse intensifies the chapter’s mahātmya by portraying total sacrality.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; “all yajñas” are said to reside in the divine body, underscoring the sanctity of sacrificial dharma.