Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

अग्निर्ज्योतीति मंत्रेण कुर्यादारार्तिकं ततः । अहमस्मीति मंत्रेण सप्तधान्यं प्रकल्पयेत्

Transliteration

agnirjyotīti maṃtreṇa kuryādārārtikaṃ tataḥ | ahamasmīti maṃtreṇa saptadhānyaṃ prakalpayet

Translation

പിന്നീട് ‘അഗ്നിർജ്യോതി’ മന്ത്രത്തോടെ ആരതി നടത്തണം. ‘അഹമസ്മി’ മന്ത്രത്തോടെ സപ്തധാന്യം (ഏഴ് ധാന്യങ്ങൾ) ക്രമപ്പെടുത്തി അർപ്പിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• अग्निः: “Agni”
• अग्निः: Vacana (Quotation/उद्धरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मन्त्रपद-उद्धरणे

• ज्योतिः: “light”
• ज्योतिः: Vacana (Quotation/उद्धरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मन्त्रपद-उद्धरणे

• इति: thus/“...”
• इति: Vacana (Quotation marker/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• मंत्रेण: with the mantra
• मंत्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• आरार्तिकम्: ārārti (waving of lights)
• आरार्तिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आरार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (then)

• अहम्: “I”
• अहम्: Vacana (Quotation/उद्धरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अस्मि: “am”
• अस्मि: Vacana (Quotation/उद्धरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present indicative), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• इति: thus/“...”
• इति: Vacana (Quotation marker/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक

• मंत्रेण: with the mantra
• मंत्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• सप्तधान्यम्: the seven grains (set of seven cereals)
• सप्तधान्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + धान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (सप्त धान्यानि यस्मिन्/समाहारः)

• प्रकल्पयेत्: should arrange/prepare
• प्रकल्पयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lamp is waved in circular motion before the deity/altar; flames reflect on brass vessels; seven small heaps/bowls of grains are arranged in a neat pattern beside flowers and water-pot.

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Ārātrika (Ārati)
• Sapta-dhānya (seven grains)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Light (agni) symbolizes divine presence; offerings like grains express gratitude and sustenance as sacred.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of a general tīrtha-rite instruction; it does not name a particular location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform ārati with ‘Agnir jyoti’ and prepare an offering of seven grains with the mantra ‘Aham asmi’.