Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

एकांते सदसो मध्ये होमार्थं द्विजसत्तमाः । तस्मिन्व्याकुलतां याते ब्राह्मणः कश्चिदागतः

Transliteration

ekāṃte sadaso madhye homārthaṃ dvijasattamāḥ | tasminvyākulatāṃ yāte brāhmaṇaḥ kaścidāgataḥ

Translation

एकांत स्थानी, यज्ञसभेच्या मध्यभागी, श्रेष्ठ द्विज होमासाठी सज्ज होते. तेव्हा तेथे गडबड उडाली आणि एक ब्राह्मण आला.

Word by Word

• एकान्ते: in a secluded place
• एकान्ते: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (Masculine locative singular)

• सदसः: of the assembly hall
• सदसः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी-एकवचनम् (Neuter genitive singular)

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (Neuter locative singular)

• होमार्थम्: for the purpose of the oblation (homa)
• होमार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Masculine accusative singular) — प्रयोजनार्थे (for the purpose of homa)

• द्विजसत्तमाः: the best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजसत्तमाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम् (Masculine nominative plural)

• तस्मिन्: in that (situation/place)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/circumstance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (Locative singular)

• व्याकुलताम्: agitation; confusion
• व्याकुलताम्: Karma (Object/state reached)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याकुलता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Feminine accusative singular)

• याते: when (they) had come to
• याते: Sati-saptami (Temporal circumstance)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: या (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → यात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः; पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (Locative singular) — सति-सप्तमी (when [they] had gone/come to)

• ब्राह्मणः: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Masculine nominative singular)

• कश्चित्: some; a certain
• कश्चित्: Visheshana (Indefinite qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Masculine nominative singular) — अनिर्दिष्टवाचकः (indefinite pronoun)

• आगतः: arrived
• आगतः: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicative adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → आगत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Masculine nominative singular) — ब्राह्मणस्य विधेयविशेषणम्

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Keśvara-kṣetra (Śrīhāṭa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Within the sadas, priests pause mid-preparation for homa as a lone brāhmaṇa enters; heads turn, a ripple of commotion spreads; the newcomer’s calm presence contrasts with the busy ritual setting.

Characters & Entities

• Homa
• Sadas (sacrificial hall)
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual space is portrayed as sensitive and consequential; unexpected arrivals can test the steadiness of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative remains under the Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s tīrtha-māhātmya umbrella associated with Śrīhāṭa–Keśvara-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Preparation for homa within the sadas (sacrificial hall), indicating proper spatial and procedural arrangement.