Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

तत्र रैभ्यो मुनिर्नेष्टा तत्रोन्नेता सनातनः । ब्रह्मा च नारदो गर्गो ब्राह्मणाच्छंसिरेव च

Transliteration

tatra raibhyo munirneṣṭā tatronnetā sanātanaḥ | brahmā ca nārado gargo brāhmaṇācchaṃsireva ca

Translation

Di sana, resi Raibhya berkhidmat sebagai imam Neṣṭṛ; dan di sana Sanātana bertugas sebagai Unnetṛ. Brahmā sendiri, bersama Nārada dan Garga, serta imam Brāhmaṇācchaṃsin juga hadir dan dilantik.

Word by Word

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: 'there')

• raibhyaḥ: Raibhya (sage)
• raibhyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raibhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• muniḥ: sage
• muniḥ: Apposition (विशेष्य-सामानाधिकरण्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• neṣṭā: Neṣṭā (priest)
• neṣṭā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: neṣṭṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• unnetā: Unnetā (priest)
• unnetā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: unnetṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• sanātanaḥ: ancient/eternal
• sanātanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sanātana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• nāradaḥ: Nārada
• nāradaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• gargaḥ: Garga
• gargaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• brāhmaṇācchaṃsī: Brāhmaṇācchaṃsī (priest)
• brāhmaṇācchaṃsī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇācchaṃsin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; यज्ञ-ऋत्विक्-पदनाम

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; likely Sūta’s narration within Nāgarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Raibhya as Neṣṭṛ and Sanātana as Unnetṛ stand near soma vessels; Brahmā appears enthroned or seated on a lotus-seat at the edge of the vedi, with Nārada holding vīṇā and Garga present among officiants; the Brāhmaṇācchaṃsin is shown reciting śastra.

Characters & Entities

• Raibhya
• Sanātana
• Brahmā
• Nārada
• Garga
• Brāhmaṇācchaṃsin

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A sacred rite succeeds when performed with proper Vedic order—qualified ṛtviks, correct roles, and reverent discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is within Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya and frames a yajña taking place at a sanctified kṣetra; the specific tīrtha is clarified in the surrounding narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Appointment of specific ṛtvij offices (Neṣṭṛ, Unnetṛ, Brāhmaṇācchaṃsin) for the yajña, indicating adherence to śrauta procedure.