Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

यथान्यादेवता स्तद्वन्मन्त्रपूतं हविर्विधे । तस्माद्यदि विधे कार्या समाप्तिर्यज्ञकर्मणि

Transliteration

yathānyādevatā stadvanmantrapūtaṃ havirvidhe | tasmādyadi vidhe kāryā samāptiryajñakarmaṇi

Translation

“Sebagaimana persembahan kepada dewa-dewa lain, demikian juga, wahai Vidhe (Brahmā), hendaklah havis yang disucikan oleh mantra dipersembahkan dengan penujukan yang benar. Maka, jika korban suci hendak disempurnakan, wahai Pengatur, penutupannya wajib dilakukan menurut tata-ritus.”

Word by Word

• yathā: as, just as
• yathā: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (comparative/"as")

• anyā: other
• anyā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (fem. nom. sg.)

• devatā: deity
• devatā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (fem. nom. sg.)

• tadvat: likewise
• tadvat: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadvat (अव्यय/तद्धितान्त)
• Form: अव्यय; तद्वत् = तस्य सदृशम् ("like that")

• mantra-pūtam: purified by mantra
• mantra-pūtam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + pūta (कृदन्त; √pū पवने)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle) विशेषण; मन्त्रेण पूतम् (instr.-tatpuruṣa)

• havis: oblation
• havis: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: havis (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (neut. acc. sg.)

• vidhe: O Ordainer (Brahmā)
• vidhe: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhātr̥/vidhi (प्रातिपदिक; संबोधन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Voc.), एकवचन; सम्बोधन (address)

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-निपातवत्; तस्मात् = अतः/ततः ("therefore")

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तवाचक (conditional "if")

• vidhe: O Brahmā
• vidhe: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhātr̥/vidhi (प्रातिपदिक; संबोधन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Voc.), एकवचन

• kāryā: to be done, required
• kāryā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (कृदन्त; √kṛ करणॆ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण; कर्तव्या/करणीया (gerundive)

• samāptiḥ: completion
• samāptiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samāpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (fem. nom. sg.)

• yajña-karmaṇi: in the sacrificial rite
• yajña-karmaṇi: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; यज्ञस्य कर्मणि (gen.-tatpuruṣa)

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Vedic altar with Agni blazing; a priest offers mantra-purified ghee while a divine presence instructs Brahmā about proper completion of the sacrifice.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Brahmā (Vidhe)
• Devatāḥ
• Havis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma in ritual is consistency: the same reverence and correctness shown to other deities must be shown here as well.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it supports the broader tīrtha-māhātmya by emphasizing correct worship that generates tīrtha-merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer mantra-purified oblations with proper dedication so the yajña can reach valid completion (samāpti).