Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

तृणैः परिस्तृणामीतिकृत्वोपस्तरणं ततः । आब्रह्मन्निति मन्त्रेण दत्त्वा ब्रह्मासनं ततः

Transliteration

tṛṇaiḥ paristṛṇāmītikṛtvopastaraṇaṃ tataḥ | ābrahmanniti mantreṇa dattvā brahmāsanaṃ tataḥ

Translation

मग “परिस्तृणामि” मंत्र म्हणत कुश पसरून योग्य उपस्तरण केले; त्यानंतर “आ ब्रह्मन्…” मंत्राने ब्रह्मासन अर्पण केले।

Word by Word

• तृणैः: with grasses
• तृणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• परिस्तृणामि-इति: “I spread around” (mantra words)
• परिस्तृणामि-इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि + √स्तॄ (धातु) + इति (अव्यय)
• Form: मन्त्र-उद्धरणरूप; इति-प्रयोग (quotative)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having done)

• उपस्तरणम्: the spreading/covering (as bedding layer)
• उपस्तरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपस्तरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रमार्थक (thereafter)

• आब्रह्मन्-इति: “ā brahman” (mantra words)
• आब्रह्मन्-इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + इति (अव्यय)
• Form: मन्त्र-उद्धरणरूप; इति-प्रयोग (quotative)

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

• दत्त्वा: having given; having placed
• दत्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having given/placed)

• ब्रह्मासनम्: the Brahmā-seat; priest’s seat
• ब्रह्मासनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (brahman’s seat)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रमार्थक (thereafter)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The ritualist carefully spreads kuśa grass over the altar area while chanting, then places a dedicated seat—symbolically inviting Brahman/ṛtvik presence to preside over the rite.

Characters & Entities

• Brahman (as brahmāsana)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence is expressed through careful preparation—honoring the sacred presence by arranging a pure seat and orderly space.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is within a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter but does not specify the location in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Spread ritual grass with the “paristṛṇāmi” formula and then offer a brahmāsana using the “ā brahman…” mantra.