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

Kemudian, dengan lafaz “paristṛṇāmi”, dia menghampar rumput suci sebagai alas yang semestinya. Sesudah itu, dengan mantra “ā brahman…”, dia mempersembahkan tempat duduk bagi Brahman (prinsip imam/ketuhanan).

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.