Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

याजयिष्याम्यहं भूपं त्रिशंकुं प्रपितामह । मानुषेण शरीरेण येन गच्छति ते पदम्

Transliteration

yājayiṣyāmyahaṃ bhūpaṃ triśaṃkuṃ prapitāmaha | mānuṣeṇa śarīreṇa yena gacchati te padam

Translation

“ഹേ പ്രപിതാമഹ ബ്രഹ്മദേവാ! ഞാൻ രാജാവ് ത്രിശങ്കുവിനെ യജ്ഞം നടത്തിപ്പിക്കും; അതുവഴി അവൻ മനുഷ്യശരീരത്തോടെയേ നിങ്ങളുടെ പദം പ്രാപിക്കും।”

Word by Word

• याजयिष्यामि: I will cause (him) to perform sacrifice
• याजयिष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: याजय् (णिच् causative of यज् धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्/Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोगः (याजयति = यज्ञं कारयति)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भूपम्: the king
• भूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• त्रिशंकुम्: Triśaṅku
• त्रिशंकुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिशङ्कु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भूपस्य विशेषण-नाम

• प्रपितामह: O great-grandsire
• प्रपितामह: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रपितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• मानुषेण: with a human
• मानुषेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (शरीरेण)

• शरीरेण: body
• शरीरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana/Hetu (Means/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध/हेतौ

• गच्छति: goes
• गच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘तव’

• पदम्: abode; state
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Viśvāmitra (implied by the surrounding narrative of Triśaṅku)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sage petitions Brahmā: a formal declaration to make King Triśaṅku perform a sacrifice so he may reach Brahmā’s abode without shedding the human body.

Characters & Entities

• Triśaṅku
• Brahmā
• Viśvāmitra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It presents the Purāṇic ideal that ritual power (yajña), guided by a potent ṛṣi, is believed to confer extraordinary spiritual attainments.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within a Tīrtha-māhātmya framework of the Nāgara Khaṇḍa, but this specific line emphasizes the Triśaṅku-yajña episode rather than naming a distinct tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The performance of a yajña (sacrificial rite) intended to secure ascent to Brahmā’s realm.