Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

आग्नीध्रश्च्यवनो नाम मैत्रावरुणः कार्मिकः । उद्गाता याज्ञवल्क्यश्च प्रतिहर्ता च जैमिनिः

Transliteration

āgnīdhraścyavano nāma maitrāvaruṇaḥ kārmikaḥ | udgātā yājñavalkyaśca pratihartā ca jaiminiḥ

Translation

ആഗ്നീധ്രനായി ച്യവനന്‍ നിയമിതനായി; മൈത്രാവരുണനായി കാര്‍മികന്‍ നിന്നു; ഉദ്ഗാതാവായി യാജ്ഞവല്‍ക്ക്യനും പ്രതിഹര്‍ത്താവായി ജൈമിനിയും നിന്നു।

Word by Word

• आग्नीध्रः: the Āgnīdhra priest
• आग्नीध्रः: Karta (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आग्नीध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; यज्ञे ‘आग्नीध्र’ नाम ऋत्विक्

• च्यवनः: Cyavana
• च्यवनः: Karta (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: च्यवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (Naming marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, नामनिर्देश (particle: ‘by name’)

• मैत्रावरुणः: the Maitrāvaruṇa priest
• मैत्रावरुणः: Karta (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रावरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; यज्ञे ‘मैत्रावरुण’ नाम ऋत्विक्

• कार्मिकः: ritual-expert, officiant
• कार्मिकः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) मैत्रावरुणः

• उद्गाता: the Udgātṛ priest
• उद्गाता: Karta (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्गातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; यज्ञे ‘उद्गातृ’ नाम ऋत्विक्

• याज्ञवल्क्यः: Yājñavalkya
• याज्ञवल्क्यः: Karta (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याज्ञवल्क्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• प्रतिहर्ता: the Pratihartṛ priest
• प्रतिहर्ता: Karta (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिहर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; यज्ञे ‘प्रतिहर्तृ’ नाम ऋत्विक्

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• जैमिनिः: Jaimini
• जैमिनिः: Karta (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जैमिनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (deduced: Purāṇic narration in Māhātmya context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A bustling yet orderly yajña scene: Cyavana tends the fire as Āgnīdhra; the Maitrāvaruṇa coordinates responses; Yājñavalkya sings Sāman as Udgātṛ; Jaimini as Pratihartṛ answers/echoes, creating a layered sonic ritual.

Characters & Entities

• Cyavana
• Kārmika
• Yājñavalkya
• Jaimini
• Āgnīdhra
• Maitrāvaruṇa
• Udgātṛ
• Pratihartṛ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through disciplined participation—each role in a sacred rite contributes to the wholeness of the offering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Nāgara Khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya, the tīrtha’s sanctity is implied through the grand yajña; the precise place-name is not stated in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Designation of specialized ṛtviks (Āgnīdhra, Maitrāvaruṇa, Udgātṛ, Pratihartṛ) required for a full Vedic sacrifice.