Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

सकृत्सकृज्जलं दत्त्वा गायत्रीत्रितयं जपेत् । मधुवातेति संकीर्त्य ततः पृच्छेद्द्विजोत्तमान्

Transliteration

sakṛtsakṛjjalaṃ dattvā gāyatrītritayaṃ japet | madhuvāteti saṃkīrtya tataḥ pṛccheddvijottamān

Translation

एकदा आणि पुन्हा जल अर्पण करून गायत्रीत्रयाचा जप करावा. ‘मधुवाता’ असे उच्चारून मग श्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मणांना (तृप्तीबद्दल) विचारावे.

Word by Word

• सकृत्: once
• सकृत्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb: once)

• सकृत्: once
• सकृत्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb: once)

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): having given

• गायत्री-त्रितयम्: the triad of Gāyatrī (three verses)
• गायत्री-त्रितयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रितय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गायत्र्याः त्रितयम् = three Gayatrīs)

• जपेत्: should recite/mutter
• जपेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative/विधि), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मधु-वाता: (the words) ‘madhu’ and ‘vāta’
• मधु-वाता: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + वात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; इतिसंज्ञा-पूर्वकं मन्त्रपद (the pair 'madhu' and 'vāta')

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-चिह्नक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• संकीर्त्य: having recited
• संकीर्त्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + √कीर्त्/√कॄत् (धातु; ‘to mention/praise’)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): having uttered/recited

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक अव्यय (ablatival adverb: then/thereafter)

• पृच्छेत्: should ask
• पृच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विज-उत्तमान्: the best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विज-उत्तमान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (श्रेष्ठा द्विजाः)

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (ritual instruction within Nāgarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A performer pours water in small libations, counts japa on fingers, then recites ‘madhuvātā’ with uplifted voice; brāhmaṇas nod, and he respectfully asks about their satisfaction.

Characters & Entities

• jala (water)
• Gāyatrī-tritaya
• madhuvātā
• dvijottama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha integrates mantra, water-offering, and respectful confirmation of guests’ contentment—outer rite aligned with inner reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; the focus is on mantra-and-offering protocol within the tīrtha-māhātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer water repeatedly, recite the three Gāyatrīs, utter ‘madhuvātā’, and then ask the brāhmaṇas about their satisfaction.